Kazakhstan, Astana, 13 November / Trend corr. K.Konirova / Prices for the Kazakh food wheat will not be cut in 2008 and 2009, Daulet Uvashev, managing and commercial director of Prodkorporatsiya Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC), told Trend correspondent in Astana.
"Prices for the Kazakh grain will be cut neither by the end of 2008 nor in future, because at present quality of the purchased wheat is a major issue for huge importers," Uvashev said.
According to Uvashev, one ton of the Kazakh wheat will cost $250 and more.
"However, it will not be cheaper than $250 per ton," the representative of the company said.
"In 2008 record wheat harvest was observed in Russia and Ukraine and logically, price for the Kazakh wheat should be cut. However, majority of the Russian and Ukrainian grain is in the fourth and fifth class, while the Kazakh wheat, basically, is in the first and second class with at least 25% of gluten, which is an important figure at the world market," Uvashev said.
"We lost in amount of harvest, but win in quality in 2008. If the Kazakh wheat contained 23% gluten in previous years, this indicator amounts to 25% in 2008. Thanks to this fact, the Kazakh wheat often is used as a conditioner in production of flour," he said.
More than 17mln tons of grain was collected in Kazakhstan in 2008. Record grain harvest was observed in 2007 - more than 19.5mln of tons.
According to Uvashev, at present huge grain importers, such as Egypt and the Arabian countries, pursues grain purchase policy basing on quality of the product. Therefore, these countries examined an issue on qualitative wheat import in November.
Currently, the Kazakh and Canadian wheat is equal on quality level. According to the latest data, price of the Canadian wheat under FOB St. Lawrence conditions has rise to $333 per ton (price increased by $12 within a day), Uvashev said.
"At present huge and medium traders declared $210-$220 per ton, whilst proposals on their claim have not been yet received. Farmers do not intend to reduce level for the sold grain, because they adequately assess their labor and quality of their wheat," the representative of the OJSC said.
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