FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 10/00 - KAZAKHSTAN (27 September)

The harvest is in full swing and returns confirm a lower harvest in 2000. The grain area for harvest is 12.3 million hectares. By late September, the average yield from the 11.2 million hectares harvested approached 1 tonne (bunker weight) per hectare compared to an average yield of 1.3 tonnes/ha last year. In northern Kazakhstan, dry conditions from mid June to end July adversely affected crop yields. Shortages and the high price of fuel are complicating the harvest and leading to increased losses. Locusts did not plague this year's crop, impeded by the relatively cold spring.

Given an average yield of about 0.9 tonne per hectare and an final area harvested of about 12 million hectares, FAO tentatively puts the 2000 grain harvest at 10.6 million tonnes, compared to the bumper 14.3 million tonnes last year. Wheat production is estimated to fall to 8.5 million tonnes from 11.2 in 1999 and coarse grain output is put at nearly 2 million tonnes (1999:2.8 million tonnes)

The country exported nearly 7 million tonnes of cereals in 1999/2000 including 6 million tonnes of wheat, mainly to other CIS countries. Exports in the current marketing year are expected to be less. Russian import demand is also expected to be less. Some 350 000 tonnes have already been contracted by Tajikistan

Back to menu