Kazakhstan has the opportunity to increase the volume of flour production four times, processing all the grain grown in the country, and not export it as a raw material. This was stated by Dos-Mukasan Taukebayev, head of the Association of flour-milling and bakers of Karaganda region.
Kazakhstan processes 5.5M tons of grain per year and produces about 4.2M tons of flour, of which 1.3M tons remain for the country's domestic needs, and the remaining 2.9M tons are exported. In 2018, due to the growth in demand from China and the low grain harvest in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, an increase in export deliveries of flour from Kazakhstan is expected by 20-30%. In general, 70% of Kazakhstan flour is exported to Afghanistan, and also supplied to the market of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. In addition, Turkmenistan, Russia and Mongolia are new destinations for Kazakhstan, but the most promising area is China.
"For a year now we have been supplying flour to China in test mode, and during this period, exports have tripled. The grain in 2018 is of average quality, but it fully meets the standards. We are now buying grain with a gluten content of 25-27%, from which we get flour of the first grade with gluten 30%. If the grain quality is even lower, we have a backup option - this is the market of Afghanistan, where we can export wheat flour of the fourth class because of the low cost," said Taukebayev.
According to the report, from mid-October to mid-December, Kazakhstan will begin a massive shipment of flour for export, but individual cars went in September. It is noted that the number of applications for shipment of flour for the second decade of October exceeded the number of applications for the first decade. According to Erbol Sarsenbayev (KTZ Express JSC), in order to fulfill applications, in 2018 a special fleet of 3.5K covered wagons was installed just for loading flour and milling products, including the main milling stations in Kazakhstan. Now 2674 cars have already been transferred to the fleet.
Source: apk-inform.com.
