Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture has proposed a project aimed at restricting the import of wheat through various transportation means, including road, water, and railway routes. As per to to a report by Zakon.kz March 15, the project entails implementing a six-month ban on the import of wheat from both third countries and member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
The ban does not extend to wheat transit through Kazakhstan's territory, emphasizing the country's commitment to facilitating regional transportation networks. Furthermore, the domestic market boasts ample reserves of both food and fodder, with the 2023 wheat harvest yielding 12.1 mn tons. Taking into account processing and export figures, Kazakhstan's wheat reserves stood at 11.5 mn tons as of March 1.
One of the key factors driving this proposed ban is the influx of additional wheat imports from Russia, which has contributed to a decline in demand and prices within Kazakhstan's domestic market. For instance, in January of the current year, Kazakhstan imported 174,000 tons of wheat from Russia via rail—a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2022, which saw imports totaling 127,000 tons. Additionally, 29,000 tons of wheat were imported via water transport during the summer, further augmenting the presence of Russian wheat in Kazakhstan's domestic market.
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