In 2023/24 MY, Kazakhstan slightly reduced the supply of barley to foreign markets. According to APK-Inform, the country exported about 1.22 mln tonnes of Kazakh barley in the recently ended season. In 2022/23 MY this figure was 2.4% higher (1.25 mln tonnes), however, the grain harvest in 2022 was much higher (3.28 mln tonnes in 2022, 2.61 mln tonnes in 2023).
It is interesting that in 2023/24 MY China “pulled out” the exports of Kazakh barley, increasing the purchases of the grain to the record 926 thsd tonnes (against 591 thsd tonnes in the previous season).
Other top importers reduced the purchases of barley from Kazakhstan.
Thus, Uzbekistan imported 155.4 thsd tonnes of the grain (in 2022/23 MY - 164.3 thsd tonnes).
Iran decreased the purchases of Kazakh barley almost 6 times - from 418.7 thsd tonnes to only 73.4 thsd tonnes.
Tajikistan imported about 57 thsd tonnes of barley from Kazakhstan (in 2022/23 MY - 65 thsd tonnes).
Afghanistan also significantly reduced purchases - from 13 thsd tonnes to 8 thsd tonnes.
It is already clear that in 2024, the grain harvest in Kazakhstan exceeded the highest expectations. However, will producers and exporters be able to take advantage of this, how will the government help, and will the logistics be able to handle it?
According to the forecasts of the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan's export potential for grains in the current season is estimated at 12 mln tonnes, of which 7-7.5 mln tonnes are wheat and 1.4 mln tonnes are barley. In particular, in September, the export of Kazakh barley to Iran has already begun to intensify. And in October, the Kazakhstan Food Corporation announced that it was ready to accumulate barley volumes from farmers in order to form an export consignment for shipment to Iran.
We will discuss the prospects and problems of the current season's grain market, as well as the ways of their solution at the international conference KAZAKH GRAIN & LOGISTIC FORUM 2024, which will be held on December 5-6 in Astana.
Together with experts and key market players, we will analyze both global trends and specifics of the Kazakh grain market. Special attention will be paid to China's position on the global market in 2024/25 MY as the largest importer of grain and its impact on Kazakhstan.
We invite all the participants of the grain market and related industries to join KAZAKH GRAIN & LOGISTIC FORUM 2024 - it will be useful and interesting!
