The Food Contract Corporation (FCC), the national body managing the state grain reserves, announced in early December an increase in the purchase price ranges for wheat according to quality, which were previously set in September (FPMA Food Policies). Wheat 3rd grade will be procured at a price ranging from KZT 49 000 (USD 145) to KZT 58 000 (USD 172), while in September the range was from KZT 41 000 (USD 121) to KZT 50 000 (USD 148) and price for wheat 4th grade will range from KZT 38 000 (USD 113) to KZT 40 000 (USD 118) per tonne, against the previous range of KZT 34 000 (USD 101) to KZT 36 000 (USD 107) per tonne. In addition, in order to increase farmers’ participation to the purchasing programme, the Corporation announced in late November a scheme allowing farmers the possibility to buy back their grain, in case there is an increase in market prices, and sell it on the open market or back to the FCC at market price. The buy-back option is only available up till mid-February and farmers would have to pay the original price plus the storage, operating costs, VAT and commission fees.