At a regular Government session chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, the issue of preparations for the harvesting campaign and fodder supply was considered. The reports were made by the Minister of Agriculture Yerbol Karashukeyev, the Minister of Energy Bolat Akchulakov, Akims of Akmola region Yermek Marzhikpaev, Kostanay region Arhimed Mukhambetov, North-Kazakhstan region Kumar Aksakalov.   

Since last year, the Republican Operational Headquarters for coordination of solving the issues of fodder supply and operational response was established and has been functioning in the Republic of Kazakhstan. To address the issues of fodder supply, the Government has taken a number of operational and systemic measures.

In particular, to partially cover costs for keeping breeding stock of farm animals, 663.9 mln tg was allocated for Mangystau region from the reserve of the Government of Kazakhstan on 31 Jan 2022.

For 2022, regional akimats allocated 11.5 billion tenge to subsidize the cheaper cost of purchasing fodder.

As the Minister of Agriculture said, in April 2022 at the meeting of the Republican Budget Committee, allocation of 20 billion tg was approved to increase the authorized capital of the Food Corporation for the purchase of feed grain in the amount of 200 thousand tons.

"As of August 22 this year, the Food Corporation has sold 130.5 thousand tons of feed grain to livestock and poultry farms at a discounted price, which is 30% lower than the market price," Karashukeyev said.  

In addition, the Ministry in cooperation with local executive bodies developed and approved a road map for the development of fodder production industry for 2022-2025, which includes systematic measures for provision of livestock fodder.

Thus, the roadmap provides for the following main activities:

• development and approval of science-based crop rotations for livestock farms;
• determination of the needs of farms in seeds of fodder crops and equipment for production and preparation of fodder;
• ensuring widespread implementation and observance of pasture rotation, etc.

To date, local executive bodies are working on the implementation of the Roadmap.

"This year, in order to provide fodder for livestock, sown areas of fodder crops increased from 3.2 million hectares to 3.7 million hectares. In general, 2022 in most regions there are positive weather conditions (precipitation), which contributes to a successful fodder campaign," Karashukeyev said. 

According to operative data, about 21 million tons of hay have been procured to date, which is 87.3% of the plan, the plan being 24.1 million tons. In general, in all regions there is a positive dynamics of the implementation of forage harvesting works.

As of August 22, haylage was 1.2 million tons or 90.6%, straw 1 million tons or 27.4%, cattle fodder 918 thousand tons or 17.6% and silage 192 tons or 11% of the plan.

"It should be noted here that the basic stocking of these types of forage accounts for September and October months. In general, the Ministry conducts a constant monitoring of the fodder harvesting process, " the head of the Ministry said. 

It was possible to start harvesting works in time due to favorable conditions of current year and for today 2,2 millions hectares of cereals and leguminous plants or 13,9% were harvested.

With an average yield of 14.6 cwt/ha, 3.3 million tons of grain have been threshed. It should be noted that mass harvesting has started in all regions of the Republic.

As Karashukeyev informed, the total harvested area of agricultural crops this year amounted to 23.4 mln ha. Of these, the area of grain harvesting is 16.1 million hectares.

If you look by crops, including socially important ones, the area of wheat harvesting is 12.9 million hectares, 1 054.3 thousand hectares or 10.1% with a yield of 14.4 c/ha and 1 522.6 tons of threshed.

"Oilseeds are to be harvested on 3,463.4 thousand hectares, 16.6 thousand hectares are harvested today with the yield of 7 c/ha. Potatoes need to harvest 198.9 thousand hectares, 675.7 thousand tons with a yield of 203.3 c/ha. Vegetables harvesting area is 169.7 thousand hectares, 1.9 million tons with a yield of 253 c/ha," Karashukeyev informed.

It should be noted that the sowing campaign was conducted in optimal time using quality seeds. Farmers timely added fertilizers, timely conducted chemical treatment of crops against weeds and diseases.

It is worth to note that the favorable conditions of the current year positively influenced on the state of crops.

So, by operative data of Akimats of regions for today 70% of condition of seeding of grain crops is in good, 28,3% of crops is in satisfactory and 1,7% of crops is in bad condition. By the phase of growth of grain crops is in the phase of maturity.

By the beginning of mass harvesting agricultural producers have prepared all the necessary equipment.

"As a whole there are 147,7 thousand tractors, 38,1 thousand grain harvesters, 13,3 thousand reapers, 73,4 thousand tractor trailers for carrying out harvesting works in the Republic," Karashukeyev said. 

It should be noted that within the framework of implementation of the instruction of the Head of State it was worked out a mechanism of concessional loans for agricultural machinery at the expense of Zhasyl Damu.

About 40 billion tenge is allocated for preferential leasing. Since August 5 this year applications for participation in this program are accepted in all branches of Kazagrofinance JSC. To date, 306 applications were accepted for the amount of 16.9 billion tenge. Concluded a contract of financial leasing is 17 applications to the amount of 703 million tenge. 64 applications to the amount of 4.3 billion tenge were approved.

In addition, 423.5 thousand tons of preferential diesel fuel were allocated to agricultural enterprises for timely harvesting works. Together with the Ministry of Energy, a schedule of assignment of regional operators to refineries was approved. The July volumes have been selected in full by the regions. The August volumes are currently being shipped.

The Ministry of Energy has set the average market price from refineries for August at 212,000 tenge/tonne or 177 tenge/litre. Taking into account the costs of operators, the average price in the country for agricultural producers is 202 tenge/liter.

The Ministry is constantly monitoring the preparation of elevators to receive the new harvest.

"The total storage capacity of grain in the republic is 29.1 million tons, including 12.6 million tons at the grain receiving enterprises and 16.5 million tons at agricultural producers. The specified volume of storage capacity is enough for storage of forecasted harvest taking into account carry-over from previous years," the Minister of Agriculture said. 

Regional Akimats should ensure that granaries are ready to receive the new harvest.

"In connection with the current geopolitical situation in the world as well as reduction of grain production in a number of countries we have an important task to ensure food security. According to akimats of regions the forecast volume of gross harvest of grain is expected at the level of 18.3 million tons, including more than 13.4 million tons of wheat. In addition, in the country there is a rolling balance of grain in the amount of 3.1 million tons, including wheat - 2.5 million tons. The expected volume of gross grain harvest, taking into account the transitory remnants, is sufficient to fully meet the domestic needs of the republic, as well as the sale of certain volumes of grain for export, and accordingly to maintain the trade position on our traditional markets," Karashukeyev explained.  

The main issue of the successful implementation of the harvest campaign is to provide farmers with financial resources.

This year, through the Agrarian Credit Corporation JSC, the total amount of funding for spring field and harvest works will amount to 140 billion tenge.

To date, under the Ken Dala program, more than 3.7 thousand applications in the amount of 110 billion tghas been funded.

Also, in the framework of the President's instruction, this year the Food Corporation carried out forward purchase of agricultural products, thanks to which contracted the volume of grain supply to resources of the Food Corporation in the amount of 1 137.3 thousand tons, for which was allocated 80 billion tg. In this case, the Food Corporation already has a reserve of 362.8 thousand tons of grain.

The mentioned volumes of grain in case of necessity will be directed to inner market in order to stabilize it and provide food safety.

"For example, this year the resources of the Food Corporation carried out the stabilization of prices for social bread. At the request of the regions flour mills with the plan 256,8 thousand tons were shipped 204,9 thousand tons. As we see the increase in wheat prices has not affected the price of social bread," Karashukeyev said. 

According to the Minister of Agriculture, the priority task now is to collect the harvest without losses, given that, according to the forecast Kazgidromet fall precipitation is expected in most of the republic within the standard, in the north-east it is more than the standard.

In the framework of the Republican Operational Headquarters for the harvest works are solving emerging issues and the progress of the harvest campaign is under constant control of the Ministry.

The Minister of Energy, in turn, spoke about the situation with the provision of diesel fuel to Kazakh farmers.

Thus, as of August 22 this year, the total stock of gasoline AI-92 in the oil depots and in transit is 180 thousand tons, which covers the need for 14 days.

"Stocks of diesel fuel amount to 220.8 thousand tons, which is enough for 13 days. Stocks at the refineries of the Republic of Kazakhstan are Ai-92 is 71 thousand tons, diesel fuel is 53.4 thousand tons. The situation on gasoline Ai-92 is stable, there are no restrictions on the main networks of gas stations," Akchulakov said. 

At the same time, there are restrictions on the sale of diesel fuel (the transition to the sale of fuel on coupons and cards, the establishment of limits).

"Currently, refineries produce fuel in sufficient quantities, as I noted stocks at refineries are about 50 thousand tons, but the shipment of petroleum products from refineries is not stable, not enough empty tank wagons, there is an increase in the time of delivery of cars to delivery points," the Minister of Energy said. 

In this regard, coordinated and coordinated work of all links of the logistics chain is necessary - the refineries of the Republic of Kazakhstan, KMG, KTZ, and government agencies.

Also, Akchulakov said that the order "On the establishment of reference prices for the retail sale of petroleum products" in the new edition was adopted and entered into force on Aug. 22. According to the order prices will be differentiated.

"If you have a driver's license, the limit per day will be 100 liters of diesel fuel at the current price of 230-260 tenge per liter, for trucks with a driver's license and technical passport limit a day will be 300 liters. The rest group of persons, and above specified volumes of diesel fuel will be sold at 450 tenge," the Minister of Energy said. 

Akim of Akmola region Yermek Marzhikpayev said that this year harvesting area in the region will be 5.2 million hectares, including 4.6 million hectares of grain and leguminous crops, 366.5 thousand hectares of oilseeds, 17.4 thousand hectares of potatoes and 2.7 thousand hectares of vegetables.

"In order to have enough fodder, we have increased sowing of fodder crops in spring by 32 thousand hectares, which amounts to about 207 thousand hectares. We have stocked hay crops amounting to 1.2 million tons or 95% of the needed, haylage is 234 thousand tons or 90% and silage is 65 thousand tons or 34%. In addition, we plan to harvest about 750 thousand tons of straw. In the forthcoming harvesting of the region is fully prepared and mobilized about 9 thousand harvesters, 2,5 thousand reapers and 5 thousand trucks. For harvesting 83 thousand tons of diesel fuel was allocated, the final price for farmers is 218 tenge per liter," Marzhikpayev informed. 

In order to ensure the safety of grain, its reception will be carried out by 70 grain receiving enterprises of the region with a total storage capacity of 4.7 million tons. In addition, agricultural formations have granaries with the volume of 2.3 million tons. Forecast gross harvest of grain and leguminous crops is about 5 million tons with an average yield of 10 to 11 c/ha.

In turn, the akim of Kostanay region Arhimed Mukhambetov, informed that the region's agricultural entities have to harvest 4.8 million hectares of crops. Of them, 3 million 957 thousand hectares of grain crops and 748 thousand hectares of oilseeds.

At the moment, the farms are harvesting crops early sowing, with early maturing varieties of crops. Threshed 440 thousand hectares, the average yield is 10.2 c/ha.

The region has received 77,000 tons of diesel fuel at a discount. Sales price for agricultural enterprises does not exceed 218 tenge per liter, delivery is carried out according to schedule.

All available machine and tractor fleet is prepared and involved in harvesting works.

There is enough storage capacity for the harvest. There are 8.3 million tons.

According to program of forward and forage purchase of agricultural production through the Food Corporation JSC , taking into account prolongation of last year, this year agricultural formations of region will have to take 494 thousand tonnes of agricultural production, total amount 36,1 billion tenge. All commitments made will be fulfilled.

For the current period collected 1 million 019 tons of hay, or 98% of the required amount, 132.1 thousand tons of haylage were stocked to 86% of the required volume. Available areas of forage crops, their productivity allows to prepare the necessary amount of forages of all types. With managers of agricultural enterprises the work on prevention of unreasonable growth of prices for fodder is permanently conducted.

Akim of North Kazakhstan region Kumar Aksakalov said that fodder stocking in the region is carried out as planned. It is planned to prepare 870 thousand tons of hay, 200 thousand tons of silage, 195 thousand tons of haylage, 800 thousand tons of straw and 780 thousand tons of grain forage for successful realization of wintering. To date, purchased 861 thousand tons of hay (99% of the plan), 175.5 tons of haylage (90% of the plan).

The region's agrarians have begun the harvesting campaign. In the current year harvesting works will be carried out on the area of 4.4 million hectares. Within the framework of diversification crops of lentils (from 33 to 66 thousand hectares) and sunflower (from 61 to 119 thousand hectares) have been doubled. Moisture reserves before sowing were minimal and precipitation was below normal. At the same time during the growing season weather conditions were favorable.

"The sum of precipitation for May-July was 137 mm, which is higher than the norm (135 mm). Species yields are forecasted at an average of 16 c/ha (gross yield of 5 million tons). Such results are achieved through compliance with agronomic measures and attracting investment in the industry. Work has been carried out on variety renovation," the akim of the region informed. 

In the spring period made 124 thousand tons of fertilizers, before the end of the year is planned to make about 46 thousand tons. For harvesting work agrarians prepared all the necessary equipment. Since the beginning of the year it was purchased 1,518 units of equipment for 37 billion tenges. By the end of the year 2.4 thousand pieces of equipment will be purchased.

"Storage tanks are prepared to receive new bread. Available capacities fully cover the needs of the region. Under the forward purchase of grain program 106 bids were issued for 29.5 billion tenge. There are no problems on fuel and lubricants," Aksakalov concluded.