In The First Four Months, Kazakhstan Exported Nearly 30,000 Tons Of Rice, Mainly To The CIS Countries

From January to December 2021, rice production across Kazakhstan increased by 5.7% year-on-year to 210,700 tonnes.

It is reported that this year rice production could see a very significant decrease. According to Khabar24, the drop in water levels in Syrdarya has resulted in less irrigation water flowing into the Kyzylorda region and a reduction of 11,000 hectares of rice cultivation.

Kazakh rice growers met more than 95.3% of the domestic market's rice demand (domestic sales plus exports) in January-April this year, compared to 97.3% in the same period last year. The share of imports rose to 4.7%. Imports of rice were 3,500 tonnes, up 76.6% year-on-year. At the same time, exports fell by 28.9% to 28,700 tonnes. Sales to the domestic market rose by 41.7% year-on-year to 46,400 tonnes.

According to the January-April data, all of Kazakhstan exported 29,100 tonnes of rice, with exports amounting to US$11 million. Physical exports decreased by 29.1% and the value of exports decreased by 5.6%.

The majority of Kazakhstan's rice was exported to the CIS countries: 27.2 thousand tons and the value of exports amounted to 9.9 million USD. The largest amount of rice was exported to Russia: 14,000 tonnes, an increase of 70.6%. Tajikistan and Ukraine also ranked in the top three.

Kazakhstan exported 1,900 tonnes of rice to non-CIS countries, up 81% on the same period last year. Mongolia, Iraq and Turkey in were the main export destination countries.

In May this year, the retail price of rice in Kazakhstan averaged 406 tenge per kilogram. Among the major cities in Kazakhstan, the capital, Nursultan, had the highest price for rice - 537 tenge per kilogram. This was followed by Aktau and Karaganda (490 tenge per kilo) and Pavlodar (457 tenge per kilo). Petropavl has the cheapest price for rice at 302 tenge per kilo.