News
15.07.2011
Kazakhstan reduced flour exports by 39% - E.Gun
Kazakhstan reduced the export volumes of flour by 39%, said Eugene Gun, President of the Union of grain millers and bakers of Kazakhstan.
According to him, since August 2010, the country faced the chronic fall of the monthly export volumes of flour. That decline continues even to date, and the fall will be just before coming of the new harvest grains, which will give the new pricing policy, but the basic trends will remain the same.
To date Kazakhstan exported only 61% of flour volume compared to the last year volumes. Kazakhstan decreased flour export volumes on the markets of Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. At the same time, over 95% of Kazakh flour volumes are exported to these countries. As a result, Kazakhstan lost 450 thsd tonnes of flour in export trading compared to 2010.
E.Gun does not connect the decline in export volumes with the ban on Russian exports of grain and flour. Kazakhstan was left alone on the market and could export grains and flour, but the level of demand in Kazakh grains rose sharply, in the terms of the limited number of offers the prices also rose sharply, and during all year Kazakh grain prices ranged around the world price. Importers of Kazakh flour were just not ready for such price-turn, said the president of the Union.
Besides, countries-importers of Kazakh flour began to impose trading limitations. For example, since the beginning of the second half of last year Uzbekistan imposed the excise tax of 10%, after April 1 Uzbekistan increased it to the level of 15%. Afghanistan also imposed the customs duties at the level of 16%.
The Union believes that in such the case it is necessary to take the adequate measures in trade policy to the same countries. One of the proposals: to consider imposition of the floating export duties on grains.
