Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec 6 / Trend E. Kosolapova/
Kazakhstan has great interest in establishing the Russian-Ukrainian-Kazakh Black Sea grain pool, the spokesman for the Kazakh Food Corporation Kuralbek Atamuratov told Trend by phone on Tuesday.
"Kazakhstan does not have access to the sea," Atamuratov said. "Thus, our country has great interest for Black Sea grain pool creation."
The idea of creating the Black Sea grain pool, including Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, appeared for the first time in 2009, but it was not actively developed.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov raised the idea of a grain pool again during his official visit to Kazakhstan in late November, 2011.
On Dec. 5, the Director of the Department of Grains Resource Management of Kazakh Food Contract Corporation Sabit Kashkimbayev said that the idea of a Russian-Ukrainian-Kazakh Grain pool was dubious because its implementation required many participants.
"The talks on grain pool creation are running for a long time but the three countries haven't even created any commission or working group on this issue," Atamuratov said.
Atamuratov said that the main obstacle to establish the Black Sea grain pool is difficulties in grain transportation.
"Kazakh grain rose in price by $100-120 per ton following the transportation to the Black and Azov Seas" Atamuratov said.
"The three countries should introduce a single quota and benefits for grain transportation through their territory and ports to create a pool," Atamuratov added.
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