The Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Food Contract Corporation (FCC), the body responsible for managing food reserves, has allocated 738 000 tonnes of wheat to the regions Astana and Almaty regions to be sold to millers to assure a price of KZT 43 000 (USD 232) per tonne of wheat flour. The measure aims to stabilize prices of first grade wheat flour and bread in the markets. The programme will be implemented until September 2015. Furthermore, the FCC will subsidize part of the expenses incurred by grain processors. The FCC has already released 18 000 tonnes of wheat flour to these regions in January.