Karaganda region aims for nearly 1 million tons of grain
Harvesting has begun in the region, with full-scale operations scheduled to start on September 1. Despite a drop in average yields compared to last year, farmers expect to collect nearly one million tons of grain and fully meet seed needs, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The Agriculture Department of Karaganda region reports that this year’s grain harvest covers a total of 914,700 ha, slightly above last year’s level. Of this, 779,200 ha are devoted to wheat—up by 12,300 ha—while barley planting has fallen to 117,300 ha.
“As part of crop diversification, the reduction in grain planting has made it possible to expand oilseed and fodder cultivation. This year, 78,100 ha of oilseeds are set to be harvested—more than twice last year’s area,” the department noted.
The total grain harvest is projected at 946,100 tons, including 817,000 tons of wheat. Average yields are expected to reach 10.3 centners per hectare, down from 14.5 c/ha in 2024.
Farmers expect to harvest 265,200 tons of potatoes at a yield of 248 c/ha, and 38,500 tons of vegetables at 379 c/ha. So far, over 31,000 ha of grain have been harvested, yielding 27,300 tons.
To ensure a smooth harvest, agricultural producers have been allocated 19.6 thousand tons of subsidized diesel at a price of 250 tenge per liter.
The region is fully equipped for storage, with four licensed grain-receiving facilities totaling 145,000 tons, over 590 grain silos with a combined capacity of around 1 million tons, and 138 potato and vegetable storage units holding 340,000 tons. This year, new facilities have been added—a 10,000-ton grain silo and a 2,500-ton vegetable storage unit—with plans to increase capacity by another 30,000 tons by yearend.
“Harvesting is being closely monitored. We are keeping a constant eye on progress and making sure farmers have all the support they need,” the Department of Agriculture emphasized.
As reported earlier, harvesting campaign has kicked off in eight regions of Kazakhstan.