Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 12
By Rashid Shirinov – Trend:
Kazakhstan expects a record volume of rice exports to Azerbaijan this year, expert of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Natalia Merkusheva told Atameken Business Channel.
It is noteworthy that every year Azerbaijan significantly increases the volume of high-quality polished rice purchase from Kazakhstan. Last year, the exports increased fivefold, to 2,000 tons, and this year, the figure reached 6,000 tons in just seven months.
"The steady pace of monthly exports to Azerbaijan in 2018 is encouraging, and Kazakhstan is likely to reach a record volume of exports to Azerbaijan this year," Merkusheva said.
She added that this year the volume of Kazakhstan’s grain exports to the world markets will be at the level of last year, but the total cost of Kazakhstan's grain exports will rise due to the sales of high-quality rice to Azerbaijan and possibly to Tajikistan and Ukraine.
It is worth noting that as of August 1, Kazakhstan exported 51,600 tons of rice for $14.6 million, whereas last year the figures were 56,900 tons and $11 million.
In general, Kazakhstan is fully self-sufficient in domestic rice. This year, the harvest is projected to reach 460,000-470,000 tons.