Kyrgyzstan on the verge of catastrophic feed shortage

As a result of the current season difficulties the country’s livestock industry may have absolutely no feed this winter. It will be also problematic to compensate the deficit through imports, as reduction in yield of forage crops is being reported in almost all CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries.

 

"The lack of rain and unprecedented heat meant that crops began to ear too soon. Which in turn led to harvesting beginning two weeks earlier than usual. But the ears didn’t have time to grow enough so the harvesters could not collect them. This means that a large portion of the crops will be lost" says Aleksei Vedeneev the head of Association of Kyrgyzstan farmers. 

 

As a result grain shortages, even according to most conservative estimates, will exceed 500,000 tonnes.

 

"To ensure food security in the country we will need about 1.1 million tonnes of grain. The missing amount of wheat we are planning to import from Kazakhstan and Russia ", said the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Askarbek Janybekov.

 

However Kazakhstan and Russia may not have the capacity to export grains. This year Russia’s harvest may only reach 80 million tonnes and with the domestic need being about 73 million tonnes, and commercial contracts to export 12-15 million tonnes of grain abroad. Situation in Kazakhstan is is only slightly better.