Kazakhstan plans to extend ban on wheat imports six more months

ASTANA. Aug 18 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan will again impose a six-month ban on wheat imports, a draft order from the Ministry of Agriculture and published in the Open Online Legal Database, said.

"To introduce a six-month ban on imports of wheat (Foreign Trade Code 100119 and 100199 in the Eurasian Economic Union) to the Republic of Kazakhstan by road from third countries and from the states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)," the document says.

The draft order also bans imports of wheat to Kazakhstan by rail from EAEU states and third countries except for licensed elevators, grain processors and poultry farms.

The ban will come into force on October 11, 2023.

Previously, Kazakhstan had banned wheat imports by road for six months starting April 10, 2023 to prevent illegal imports of wheat into the country. Illegal wheat imports caused wheat prices in the domestic market to plummet over 50%, the Agriculture Ministry said. As much as 1.5-2 million tonnes of wheat used to be imported into Kazakhstan illegally each year, causing financial damages of about $500 million.