Melons Overload: Kazakhstan's Farming Gloom
Struggling to Market Produce: Kazakhstan Farmers Resort to Feeding Melons and Watermelons to Livestock Due to Lack of Buyers
Troubles are brewing for Kazakhstan's farmers, courtesy of an overabundance of watermelons and cantaloupes. Thanks to a successful harvest, local markets are swimming in these juicy treats. The international market, however, shows no interest, leading to desperate situations for our farming batsmen. This unfortunate state of affairs, as reported by "31 Channel", has become a common topic of conversation among Kazakhstan's farming community.
Shukhrat Khamazayev, the fearless head of the "Berek" farm in Maktaral, has witnessed firsthand the series of challenges his farm has faced. He cultivates vast plains of cantaloupes on his 300 hectares of land. First, logistics took a hit, making it a grueling task to transport produce to Europe. Then, the chaos of military actions neared the Ukrainian border led to a steep drop in the demand for melons in Ukraine. Now, even the Russian market is showing signs of indifference. Small farms are succumbing to the pressure.
"Many farmers face bankruptcy," Khamazayev mused, "They've taken loans, can’t pay them back, and are drowning in their problems." Desperation has forced some farmers to feed their produce to livestock. The trauma of this year will likely convince many to abandon growing watermelons and cantaloupes next season. As a result, the sown area for melons has decreased by around 9%.
The Kazakhstan Farmers' Association has expressed concern over farmers' instability in the market. Akpar Mauleenov, the association's executive director, believes increased subsidies in certain regions and timely credits and equipment leasing could help ease farmers' financial burdens. They advocate for the adoption of modern farming techniques like drip irrigation, quality seeds, and machinery to enhance efficiency and profitability.
Rather than surrendering to melon madness, some farmers are gradually diversifying their crop portfolio. However, a scarcity isn't in the foreseeable future, as confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture. In recent years, more land has been designated for the cultivation of melons.
In 2023, nearly 54,600 hectares of land were dedicated to cantaloupes, while watermelons got just a tad less at 53,300 hectares. The majority of melon production occurs in Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, and Turkestan regions.
Agriculture is, economists argue, a venture that comes laced with risk. The weather, logistics, and markets all play a masterful role in determining a farmer's success. Farmers can't constantly rely on state support, so experts like Arman Baiganov, financial advisor at R-Finance, believe that diversification is the key to reducing risk. A farmer should cultivate a variety of crops, ideally more than one monoculture, on their land. This strategy will help farmers mitigate the ill-effects of an oversaturated market.
While the number of farms in Kazakhstan continues to decrease, farmers are petitioning the government for preferential loans at low interest rates to climb out of debt. Agriculture, they argue, needs a helping hand.
Read More:
- Excess harvest and trade barriers: Low prices for agricultural products expected in 2024
- A Record Sum for Harvesting Work: President Bektenov stresses the importance of high-quality harvesting, storage, and sale of the crop
- Shukhrat Khamazayev, the head of the "Berek" farm in Maktaral, faces challenges in cultivating cantaloupes on his 300 hectares of land, primarily due to difficulties in logistics and inconsistent demand from international markets.
- The Kazakhstan Farmers' Association, led by Akpar Mauleenov, has expressed concern about the instability in the market that farmers are experiencing and has proposed solutions such as increased subsidies, timely credits, and equipment leasing, as well as the adoption of modern farming techniques.
- The traumatic experiences of this year have led many farmers to consider abandoning the growing of watermelons and cantaloupes next season, as they struggle with overwhelming supplies and insufficient demand.
- In an effort to reduce risk, some farmers are diversifying their crop portfolio, growing a variety of crops instead of focusing on just one monoculture.
- The Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that more land has been dedicated to the cultivation of melons in recent years, with nearly 54,600 hectares devoted to cantaloupes and just under 53,300 hectares for watermelons in 2023.
