Kazakhstan completes grain harvest

— 0.5 million tons higher than last year, despite a reduction of nearly 900,000 hectares in wheat sowing as part of crop diversification efforts. Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov noted that the significant increase in wheat output reflects the growing adoption of advanced agricultural technologies. According to the ministry, barley production remained stable at around 4 million tons, while legume crops reached a record 1 million tons for the first time. Oilseed production also reached an all-time high of 4.3 million tons, with harvesting still ongoing. In addition, farmers harvested 2.9 million tons of potatoes, 3.8 million tons of vegetables, and 2.6 million tons of melons. The cotton harvest has also been completed. With an average yield of nearly 3 tons per hectare, farmers produced 428,000 tons of raw cotton — 42% more than last year. Thanks to the introduction of modern technologies, including drip irrigation, some farms achieved yields of up to 5 tons per hectare. ...