KAZAKHSTAN (5 February)
Official estimates point to a reduction in area under wheat by about 1.2 million hectares, from 11.7 million hectares in 2002 to 10.5 million hectares in 2003. Deteriorating terms of trade for cereals in the face of declining international wheat prices and stiff competition from Russia and Ukraine are reportedly the main reasons for reduced area under wheat this year. Tentative forecasts put cereal harvest at 13.3 million tonnes, which includes 10.5 million tonnes of wheat, 1.95 million tonnes of barley and 300 000 tonnes of maize. Aggregate cereal exports in the current marketing year is estimated at 5.4 million tonnes, including 5 million tonnes of wheat and 389 000 tonnes of barley. Kazakhstan has been targeting non-traditional export markets such as the Middle East, North Africa and Brazil.