Kazakhstan is expecting a record oilseed harvest of more than 5 million tons this year, Vice Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov said at a Government's meeting, Qazinform News Agency reports. Harvesting is underway across Kazakhstan, with farmers having already harvested 13.5 million ha of grain crops, or 83% of the total area.
According to Sultanov, weather conditions during this year’s growing season were mixed. Parts of northern and central Kazakhstan received insufficient rainfall, creating additional risks for grain production. “Under similar weather conditions in previous years, yields often stood at around 8-9 c/ha,” Sultanov said.
Despite the challenging conditions, government measures providing farmers with access to concessional financing helped ensure that the necessary agricultural work was carried out on time. The country’s total harvesting area stands at 24.2 million ha this year, including more than 15.6 million ha of grain and leguminous crops.
Harvesting began on schedule and is currently progressing faster than last year. “So far, 13.5 million ha of grain crops, or 83% of the total area, have been harvested. With an average yield of 14.7 c/ha, farmers have collected 19.9 million tons of grain,” the Vice Minister said.
The overall grain harvest is expected to exceed the long-term average, providing enough food grain, animal feed, and seed to meet domestic demand while maintaining export volumes. Oilseed harvesting is also gaining momentum. Farmers have so far harvested 2.4 million ha and collected 2.4 million tons of oilseeds.
“By the end of the harvest, we expect a record oilseed crop of more than 5 million tons,” Sultanov said. Farmers have also collected 2.9 million tons of vegetables, 2.3 million tons of melons and gourds, and 2.5 million tons of potatoes. The cotton harvest is also underway, with the crop planted across 173,600 ha this year.
So far, 70,500 tons of raw cotton have been harvested, with the average yield reaching 32 c/ha.