AreaKazakhstan

Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals

CommoditySunflower seed

Date01/02/2021

Policy CategoryConsumption and marketing

Policy InstrumentMarket regulation/export policies

DescriptionFollowing a steep rise in international sunflower seed prices, the Government requested domestic vegetable oil producers to lower their edible oil retail prices and considered introducing a 15 percent tax on sunflower seed export to protect local crushers and stabilize domestic prices.

NotesKAZAKHSTAN – market regulation: As international sunflowerseed prices surged in response to poor Black Sea harvests and firm global demand, many Kazakh growers preferred to export their sunflower crops, thereby exposing local crushers to surging raw material prices. To protect the crushing industry and stabilize local prices, the Government considered introducing a 15 percent tax on sunflowerseed export – following the example of the Russian Federation (see MPPU Jan.’21). In the meantime, domestic sunflower oil prices continued rising and, after detecting signs of price collusion, the country’s market regulator requested seven edible oil producers to lower their prices.