Kazakhstan sees no prerequisites for
rising prices of sugar and bread, as it was stated by Deputy Chairman of the
Board of the Food Corporation National Company Samat Tenbaev at a press
briefing on the food safety issues. According to him, this year, the growth of
sugar beet production amounts to nearly 30 percent in the Zhetisu region only
due to the increase in subsidies to farmers for the cultivation of this
product. Overall, the level of food security in the country is evaluated
positively, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture. Kazakhstan has
experienced an increase in food production by four percent and in fixed capital
investment in this area by 15 percent. Nevertheless, according to the Kazakh
Ministry of Trade and Integration, a possible shortage of certain types of food
products may also be affected by external factors.
“Foreign markets
have a very strong impact on the domestic market; therefore, we held a rice
fair jointly with all regional social entrepreneurial corporations and local
authorities in the city of Kyzylorda. Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration
Serik Zhumangarin paid a visit there, and a number of agreements were signed.
The Food Corporation also signed an agreement, large funds were allocated so
that the country would have a sufficient supply of rice,” said Aidar Abildabekov,
spokesperson for the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is now working to find new
markets for domestic grain. Thus, about 500,000 tonnes of domestic wheat have
been shipped to China since the beginning of 2023. In the coming years, there
are plans to increase the volume of exports to one million tonnes.
“We
see increasing competition in Kazakhstan’s traditional markets for the sale of
processed wheat, this is Central Asia. We export up to five million tonnes
there, and due to intensified competition since April, we have been intensively
working on opening the Chinese market. The main constraining issue is
infrastructure, throughput capacity, about half a million tonnes were shipped
over a six-month period. It is not only the Food Corporation, but all
participants of the grain market. It is planned to bring this figure up to a
million. Theoretically, they can import three-five million tonnes from us and
we do not need to compete for the markets of Central Asia, our nearest
neighbors,” said Tenbaev.
Web-editor: Bayan
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