USDA arm sees 2018-19 Kazakhstan wheat output down at 14 mln tn.

The US Department of Agricultures Foreign Agricultural Services has estimated Kazakhstans wheat production in 2018-19 (Sep-Aug) at 14 mln tn, down 800,000 tn from a year ago due to a fall in acreage. Kazakhstans government policy on crop diversification, and the unusually cold weather in June weighed on sowing of wheat crop in the country. The weather was mostly cold and windy in early June, which had hit sowing of wheat and germination of seed. The agency has pegged Kazakhstans wheat exports in 2018-19 at 8.0 mln tn, 500,000 tn down from last year because of lower output projection. The countrys consumption of wheat for food, seed and industrial purpose is expected to remain unchanged at 4.8 mln tn in 2018-19. As on May 1, Kazakhstan had 7.9 mln tn stock of wheat, 2% higher from the same period last year.