Kazakhstan: durum wheat fell $22–24 per ton in a week, while flaxseed and sunflower rose

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture on November 2 published trading strategy recommendations for grain, oilseed and pulse producers, prepared by the research bureau "Grain and Oilseed Crops. Kazakhstan." Over the week, durum wheat fell by 10–11 tenge per kilogram (≈ $22–24 per ton), while flaxseed and sunflower rose by 5 tenge (≈ $11 per ton). Buyers are looking first of all for good-quality Class 3 wheat.

Key figures

• Durum 14+: $192/t
• Durum on the week: −$24/t
• Class 3 wheat: $199–234/t
• Flaxseed: $404/t (+$11)
• Sunflower: $369/t (+$11)
• White mustard: $766/t

What changed

Demand is focused on Class 3 wheat with good quality characteristics, while the supply of Class 4 wheat remains limited. Durum fell the most over the week: grain with protein from 14% lost 11 tenge (≈ $24), dropping to 87 tenge per kilogram (≈ $192 per ton), and grain with protein from 15% lost 10 tenge (≈ $22), dropping to 99 tenge (≈ $219 per ton). The oilseed market is moderately active, with buyers showing interest in flaxseed and rapeseed.

By the numbers

Average prices including VAT at the elevator on November 2, new crop:

• Class 3 wheat, gluten from 28%: 106 tenge per kg (≈ $234 per ton).
• Class 3 wheat, up to 25%: 93 tenge (≈ $205), +1 tenge (≈ $2) on the week.
• Class 3 wheat, up to 23%: 90 tenge (≈ $199).
• Class 4 wheat: 86 tenge (≈ $190), +1 tenge (≈ $2) on the week.
• Class 2 barley: 75 tenge (≈ $166); it was 70 tenge (≈ $155) on October 19.
• Flaxseed: 183 tenge (≈ $404), sunflower: 167 tenge (≈ $369).
• White mustard: 347 tenge (≈ $766); it was 247 tenge (≈ $545) on October 19.

The bureau's recommendations

For Class 3 wheat the advice stays the same: "stop," meaning hold off on sales until prices improve. The bureau recommends selling sunflower and yellow peas, as it sees no favorable prospects in the near term. For the other crops the advice is to sell as needed. The bureau puts the possible season high at 145 tenge per kilogram (≈ $320 per ton) for Class 3 wheat with gluten from 28%, and at 140 tenge (≈ $309 per ton) for durum with protein from 15%. The authors stress that this is an opinion that may change.

What it means for buyers

These prices are a guide for estimating the revenue a farm uses to pay for seed and machinery for next season. Durum with protein from 14% now costs almost the same as Class 4 soft wheat: 87 tenge (≈ $192) versus 86 tenge (≈ $190) per kilogram. Prices vary by region and depend on quality and delivery terms. The dollar figures use the National Bank of Kazakhstan rate of 452.91 tenge per dollar.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan