Kazakh farmers suffer losses due to the import of cheap potatoes from Russia

Fresh Common Potato

Vegetables

Kazakhstan

Russia

Market & Price Trends

Published Mar 22, 2024

Tridge summary

Farmers in Kazakhstan's Kostanay region are being forced to sell potatoes below cost due to an oversupply and competition from cheaper Russian imports, leading some to exit the market. The Association of Agricultural Producers of the region is calling for a development program to guide crop production and for local government support, including debt repayment on subsidies. The association also suggests that vegetable processing could be a potential solution, but notes it would require significant investment.

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Original content

Farmers in the Kostanay region (Kazakhstan) are forced to sell potatoes 20-30 tenge below cost, which is approximately 83 tenge. Large stocks of potatoes have accumulated in warehouses. ElDala.kz writes about this with reference to a statement by representatives of the Association of Agricultural Producers of the region at a meeting of the Industry Council on Agricultural Issues of the Chamber of Entrepreneurs. According to vegetable growers, potatoes are sold to other regions for 60 tenge per kilogram, but the western regions of the country do not want to buy even for 50 tenge, because they are offered cheaper goods from Russia. This situation has been developing for several years, and therefore there has been a tendency for some players to leave the market. “We see no prospects for our own development in potato production. Cleaning was difficult, additional costs arose, and therefore the cost was high. We hoped that we would justify the costs, but it happened that they brought ...

Source: Eastfruit