ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 30. Kazakhstan has ramped up the rail transport of the new crop grain to Central Asian countries, Trend reports.
From September to October 2024, Kazakhstan transported 1.016 million tons of new crop grain to Central Asian countries by rail. According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, this is an increase of 0.234 million tons, or 30 percent, compared to the same period in 2023, when the volume was 782 thousand tons. Additionally, the port of Aktau has resumed shipments to Iran, shipping over 250 thousand tons in two months, up from 222 thousand tons in the first nine months of 2023. This also represents an increase of 0.028 million tons, or 12.6 percent, compared to the same nine-month period in 2023.
At the same time, shipments to EU countries have begun via ports in Russia and the Baltics, and transport to the new Turkish market is gaining momentum.
Previously, Temir Zholy reported experiencing difficulties with shipments to China. The capabilities of the receiving party directly influence the restrictions on shipments to China. These include lengthy unloading procedures, sample analysis, and the Chinese customs service's working hours, which are only during the day. As a result, the maximum possible monthly volume of grain exports to China is about 150 thousand tons, assuming that the quality of the cargo meets standards and the Chinese recipients have valid licenses. Furthermore, at the beginning of September, China ceased accepting all grain cargoes into the bonded zone, leading to a series of refusals to accept and return grain shipments. Consequently, China returned more than 360 railcars.
This situation has been one of the main reasons for Kazakhstan's return to its traditional markets—Central Asian countries.