World Grain - October 2008 - 15

newsreview
Kazakhstan lifts wheat export ban

Letter to the editor
Dear editor,
I am writing in regard to an article in the September issue of World
Grain ("Lessons learned from the melamine crisis," pages 69-74)
about the contamination of pet food with melamine last year.
I would like to take this opportunity to correct certain information attributed to me.
The article incorrectly reports that I said three members of the
American Feed Industry Association had been indicted for their involvement in the melamine crisis. I did not say that, and that would
not have been a correct statement.
I also emphasize that AFIA is not and has not been involved in
the legal process that surrounds the melamine contamination. AFIA
is working with the Food and Drug Administration and Congress to
try to ensure this sort of incident never occurs again.
As the article correctly reports, one of AFIA's initiatives has been
to work with FDA and other organizations to develop a draft guidance document on supplier selection.
I hope the end result of the melamine contamination will be more
effective purchasing controls that prevent a similar, tragic situation
from unfolding ever again.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Richard Sellers
Vice-President of Feed Regulation and Nutrition
American Feed Industry Association
2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916
Arlington VA 22201
1.703.558.3569
rsellers@afia.org

Integral Sweep
Augers

ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN
- Kazakhstan's government
lifted its ban on wheat export on Sept. 1. On April 15,
the government imposed the
wheat exports ban without
limiting flour exports, effective until Sept. 1.
The ban was intended to ensure the nation's food stocks
and to insulate the domestic
market from price shocks
on world grain markets and A field of unripe wheat in Kazakhstan,
the general shortage of grain one of the top grain-producing countries
worldwide.
in the CIS. Photo by Postnikova Kristina.
When he spoke on Aug. 11,
Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov said that the ban would
not be lifted unless he was personally convinced that the domestic market would not suffer and all regions have sufficient grain stocks.
"If the grain supply is guaranteed in the republic, we will not impose
any type of bans in the future" he said.
Masimov also advised the provincial governors to prevent prices for
bread and grain from rising in order to meet domestic demand in grain.
"We should maintain the status quo of grain prices to keep the price for
bread at the same level. We will only welcome if they go downward,"
he said. "Domestic grain prices should not fluctuate. If they start fluctuating, don't get offended, we will close down everything."
Kazakhstan harvested a record-high grain crop of 20.1 million
tonnes in 2007; 22% more than in 2006, including 16.6 million tonnes
of wheat (compared to 13.5 million tonnes in 2006).
Kazakhstan has a total population of 15.6 million and has domestic
grain needs of 10 to 11 million tonnes.

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World Grain - October 2008

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