Sowing season 2023: Kazakhstan increases potato, sugar beet and rice crops

The preliminary results of the spring field work were considered at the government meeting chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov.

As noted by the Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Karashukeyev, this year the total sowing area amounted to 23.4 million hectares, which is 68.6 thousand hectares more than the level of 2022, including the area of spring crops reached 20.9 million hectares.

Thus, grain crops were sown on an area of 15.6 million hectares, 3.3 million hectares of oilseeds, cotton on 111.4 thousand hectares, rice on 97.3 thousand hectares. Potatoes sowing is completed completely, the area of sowing was increased by 6.7 thousand hectares up to 197.5 thousand hectares. The area of sugar beet was brought to 19 thousand hectares, which is by 7,4 thousand hectares more than the level of 2022, sowing is completed.

In order to coordinate all the issues related to carrying out spring field works, providing agricultural producers with seeds, agrochemicals, machinery and financing, the Republican Operational Headquarters is functioning.

At present the issue of providing agrarians with cheaper diesel fuel for carrying out harvesting campaign is also worked out. For the first time formation of necessary volumes and realization of diesel fuel will be carried out in electronic form on the basis of the module in the State information system of subsidizing. More than 28.5 thousand applications for 368.2 tons of fuel have already been submitted through it. The Ministry of Agriculture is forming a total application, which will be sent to the Ministry of Energy to prepare a schedule of shipments.

Minister of Energy Almassadam Satkaliyev informed on measures taken to provide farmers with fuel during the spring field campaign. Akims of Kostanay region Kumar Aksakalov, North Kazakhstan region Aidarbek Saparov and Akmola region Yermek Marzhikpayev also reported on activities in major grain-producing regions.

The Prime Minister stressed that today the sowing season is completed even in the northern regions. The Government has solved all issues of financial and logistical support of the campaign. So, budget crediting of 140 billion tenge and forward purchase of products in the amount of 21 billion tenge are envisaged. Agrarians were given commodity credit for 522 thousand tons of grain.

"Work has been done with domestic producers of mineral fertilizers. For their subsidizing from local budgets 31 billion tenge. Also for a year a deferment on the digitization of fields was provided to avoid problems with the provision of these subsidies. I want to emphasize that this year the system of state support for agriculture has remained virtually unchanged," Alikhan Smailov said.

According to him, Kazakhstan traditionally fully meets its own needs for grain every year, as well as supplying for export. In particular, this year the shipment of wheat to China began.

"Even in case of bad weather, domestic demand is almost two times less than the volume of the lowest harvest. This allows us to ensure food security of Kazakhstan," Alikhan Smailov emphasized.

He added that the Ministry of Agriculture together with regional akimats should ensure that farmers comply with agricultural technologies.

"Regional akims should take control of chemical treatment of fields against weeds and pests. We must also approve the list and standards of subsidies for these plant protection measures," Prime Minister pointed out.

In conclusion, Prime Minister noted the need to ensure the fulfillment of the obligations of agricultural producers for the timely delivery to "Prodkorporatsiya" the claimed amount of wheat and to take measures to digitize fields in accordance with the title documents by the end of the year.

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