Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan, as of 25 August 2020, in the republic, wheat is harvested on an area of 175,000 hectares (71%), the amount of harvested grain in bunker weight is 477,800 tonnes.

In general, the expected gross harvest of wheat in 2020 will amount to 680,000 tonnes, which is 12% more compared to 2019 (600,000 tonnes of wheat were collected, of which 330,000 tonnes were used for the production of flour, and the remaining 270,000 were used for feed).

According to the Association of Millers of Kyrgyzstan, in order to meet internal needs, milling wheat in the amount of 350,000-400,0000 tonnes is also annually imported into the republic. Despite the growth in wheat cultivation in the country, the tendency to reduce the volume of flour production continues.

So, if 350,000 tonnes were produced in 2014, then in 2019 – 160,000 tonnes, while the country's annual need for this product is 600,000 tonnes.

According to experts, this trend is due to the following factors.

First, the reduction in the number of flour mills. So, in 2015 in Kyrgyzstan, there were 62 flour mills, and currently their number is only 32. According to experts, after Kyrgyzstan's accession to the EAEU, domestic enterprises were unable to compete with the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan due to a shortage of raw materials, as well as outdated production technology.

Secondly, the high level of flour smuggling. According to the Association of Millers, up to 35 thousand tonnes of flour (more than 95% from Kazakhstan) are illegally imported into the country monthly. These products are of higher quality and cheaper than local flour, making it “unprofitable” for local producers to work in such conditions. In this context, Kyrgyz entrepreneurs propose: a) to provide incentives to local producers; b) to tighten the fight against flour smuggling from Kazakhstan.

In general, experts conclude that in order to ensure food security of the state, the Kyrgyz authorities must take drastic measures to reduce wheat imports and develop the flour-grinding industry in the country in the context of a pandemic.