Kazakhstan Aims High with Record Grain Harvest

Kazakhstan is expecting an above-average grain harvest this year, according to Deputy Agriculture Minister Nazgul Khatepova. As of September 29, farmers have already harvested around 20 million tons of grain from 83% of planted areas.

This total exceeds the long-term average of 18-19 million tons in recent years. The country has sufficient storage capacity to accommodate the new harvest, including carry-over stocks from previous years. Total grain storage capacity stands at 30.5 million tons, including 13.1 million tons at licensed elevators and 17.4 million tons at farms and agricultural enterprises.

Nearly 4.9 million tons of this year's grain has already been placed in storage. The Agriculture Ministry is also working on advance contracting to help farmers export surplus potatoes, with the country's potato harvest expected to reach around 2.8 million tons. Kazakhstan exported 388,000 tons of potatoes last year and estimates its potential for exports at 400,000 tons this year.