At a press conference following an extended government meeting on January 28, 2025, he explained that the ban was implemented to stabilize prices.
"We started exporting 1600 tons of potatoes. The price surged to over 400 tenge. It happened abruptly, literally within a few days. Therefore, we had to take measures. Primarily to protect domestic consumers. Potatoes that were priced at 120, 150, and 170 tenge suddenly jumped to over 400 in just a few days. Hence, the ban was imposed," said Serik Zhumangarin.
It was expected that those who received phytosanitary certificates for exporting potatoes before January 28 would be allowed to ship them out of the country. A batch of 1600 tons of potatoes got stuck at the border.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the production cost of potatoes last season was 71-72 tenge. Entrepreneurs stated that they purchased potatoes in the spring for 40 tenge per kilogram. The ministry suggested they sell the potatoes.
"We proposed a solution to the situation so that entrepreneurs do not incur losses. It was suggested to sell the specified potatoes to the regional stabilization funds on-site in the same Turkestan region for 200 tenge. There is a difference between 40 and 200 tenge, and as they say, profit is evident. If they received the potatoes for 40 tenge, why didn’t they sell them for 200 tenge to prevent spoilage? No need to transport the wagons anywhere; the akimat could come and collect them," said Deputy Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov.
He clarified that the issues with entrepreneurs arose not from the Ministry of Agriculture, but from customs authorities. In the view of the Ministry of Agriculture representative, the decision to ban potato exports can be considered force majeure circumstances for entrepreneurs, allowing them to annul completed transactions.
"The price in the domestic market, again considering the production cost, is very comfortable, hence it is profitable to grow potatoes," concluded Azat Sultanov.
Earlier, it was reported that today, January 28, an order from the Minister of Agriculture has restricted the export of potatoes from the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.