Russia Blocks Grain Shipments from Kazakhstan

Russia has officially imposed restrictions on the export of wheat and other quarantine products from Kazakhstan, Orda.kz reports.

In September, Rosselkhoznadzor requested the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan to temporarily stop exports, explaining that pests and pathogenic bacteria were increasingly found in Kazakhstani products.

From October 17, 2024, introduce temporary restrictions on the import of wheat (soft and hard), lentils, and flaxseeds from the Republic of Kazakhstan into the territory of the Russian Federation, with the exception of grain transit, provided that the Kazakh side issues phytosanitary certificates directly to the country of final destination and transships grain of Kazakh origin from railway cars directly into the holds of a ship,
the Russian department said in a statement.

These measures have caused a response in Kazakhstan. 

The day before, Majilis deputy Aidarbek Khodzhanazarov said the restrictions had put 25.2 million tons of grain at risk and could impact the country's economy.

He called on the government to begin negotiations with Russia and lift the ban. Submitting the matter to judicial review in the Eurasian Economic Union has been suggested as an alternative.

Yevgeny Karabanov, a representative of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, has suggested that the situation could lead to a trade war.

Original Author: Olga Ibraeva