In 2024, the corn harvest in Kazakhstan reached an unprecedentedly low level of 1 million tons. This is the lowest figure in the last three seasons. This information is based on official statistics provided by APK-Inform.
Last year, the corn planting area in the Republic of Kazakhstan was about 162 thousand hectares. In comparison, in 2023, the planting area of this crop was about 194 thousand hectares, harvesting a gross crop of 1.19 million tons. In 2022, these figures were 189 thousand hectares and 1.01 million tons, respectively.
Relative to the average corn yield, in 2024 it was approximately 62 centners per hectare, in 2023 - 62.5 centners per hectare, and in 2022 - 58.5 centners per hectare.
According to the data for 2024, Zhetysu Region, which harvested 297 thousand tons of grain from 48 thousand hectares and with an average yield of 72.8 centners per hectare, is the leader in corn production in Kazakhstan. Turkestan Region takes second place, with a planting area of 41.2 thousand hectares and a gross harvest of 273 thousand tons with an average yield of 66.2 centners per hectare. The third place is taken by Almaty Region, with a planting area of 49 thousand hectares, harvesting 271 thousand tons and having an average yield of 55 centners per hectare.
As previously reported by APK-Inform, in 2023 Kazakhstan faced the problem of excessive corn production, so farmers decided to reduce the planting areas for this crop.
In 2024, Kazakh corn producers stated that the prices offered by local processors are unacceptably low and do not cover all costs.