Producers of rice in Kazakhstan are sounding the alarm due to delayed sales of the harvest following a significant drop in prices.

Kazakhstan artists who had a good crop this year are facing a problem with selling their rice grain. Rice prices have significantly dropped. The market is at a standstill. Often, wheat receives special attention, but not only this crop is suffering from the complex situation. Last week we visited the Kyzylorda region, where rice growers also raised questions about selling their harvest. This year's harvest amounts to about 560 thousand tons of rice grain. Farmers say that the rice market is stagnant and have turned to the authorities for support.

The Chairman of the Committee on Agricultural Issues, Serik Egizbaev, addressed the representative of the Ministry of Trade and Integration at a meeting of the Majilis to discuss this problem. The Minister's response was supported by Zhanel Kushukova, the Vice-Minister of the department. She noted that there are no restrictions on rice exports in Kazakhstan. She emphasized the need to develop specific directions and determine the causes of the problem. Serik Egizbayev himself pointed out that producers are not concerned about export restrictions, but rather about the stagnant market. He also revealed that previously Russia used to buy Kazakh rice, but now the situation has changed. Rice growers don't know where to sell their harvest.

The Minister of Trade replied that there are currently no solutions for rice growers as they have not raised this issue. She expressed readiness to study the matter if it remains relevant. Nevertheless, the issue of rice sales was also raised by the MP Aidarbek Khodjanazarov. He noted that the problem is not only relevant to wheat but also to rice. He is disappointed that the selling price of rice in previous years was 380-400 thousand tenge, but now it has dropped to 230-250 thousand tenge. This is almost a double price decrease. He emphasized that the situation is similar to the wheat situation. The only positive thing he mentioned is the absence of last year's carry-over crop.

At yesterday's meeting, representatives of state structures related to agriculture discussed issues of storing and selling the new grain harvest.