Farmers in Russia Raise Alarm Over Saiga from Kazakhstan

The migration of saiga antelopes from Kazakhstan into Russia has caused concern among farmers in the Saratov Region. Agricultural producers are calling on Russian authorities to protect their fields, Orda.kz reports.

According to Reuters, several popular Russian Telegram channels have published messages from farmers complaining that saiga antelope arriving from Kazakhstan are destroying their crops. Approximately half a million animals have crossed into the Saratov Region from Kazakhstan.

Local farmers are also concerned about the native Russian saiga, whose population has reached one million.

Farmers are requesting support from Russian authorities, claiming that the saiga migration “threatens the very existence of agriculture” in the region. In a separate letter addressed to Vladimir Putin and reviewed by journalists, it is stated that the losses incurred are not covered by insurance, as antelopes are not officially classified as pests.

The total damage is currently being assessed.

Saratov Region ranks sixth in Russia for grain production, harvesting about four million tons of wheat annually —roughly 3.5% of the country’s average total yield.

In Kazakhstan, the saiga population is currently estimated at 4–4.5 million. Meanwhile, proposals have already been made in Kazakhstan to sharply reduce the population and process the animals for meat.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny