But what about the regions themselves? At present, it is already known that agrarians of the North Kazakhstan region are experiencing quite a lot of anxiety.
The North-Kazakhstan region was one of the most affected by last year's drought. As a result, according to updated data, only 3.5 million grains were harvested there with an average yield of 11.9 centners per hectare. (For comparison, at the end of 2020, the average grain yield in North Kazakhstan region was 14.8 c/ha). But there are no guarantees that the lack of moisture will not appear this year either.
According to the data of the regional department of agriculture, the forthcoming sowing season assumes that 3 million hectares of land are allocated for grain crops, 957 thousand hectares for oilseeds, or 23% of the total sown area. 347.6 thousand hectares will be allocated for fodder crops, 32 thousand hectares for potatoes, and 6.2 thousand hectares for vegetables.
- The sowing campaign will take place with a lack of moisture. Today we already see it. Moisture availability is on average from 40 to 60 mm in a meter layer. Somewhere there is a little more. The main technique is snow retention, which will improve the position in terms of productive moisture reserves. We all understand perfectly well that we must have at least 150 mm of moisture before the sowing campaign. Therefore, special attention will have to be paid to pre-sowing processing. Meanwhile, it is already clear that the cost of mineral fertilizers will increase. It is better to stock up in advance, because demand will also generate supply, - Marat Tasmaganbetov, the first deputy akim of the North Kazakhstan region, explained, speaking at the board of the agricultural department at the end of January this year.
In turn, the head of the regional department of agriculture, Meiram Mendybaev, sadly contacted the facts of both the shortage of fertilizers in general and the poor use of them by farmers in particular:
- The number of agricultural formations that applied fertilizers is only 513 or 12.6% of the total number of operating farms, of which there are 4 thousand 62 entities in the region. In 2022, the volume of fertilizers applied will not increase much. They are planned to be applied in 170 thousand tons (ten thousand tons more than last year) on an area of 2.7 million hectares (with an area of 4.9 million hectares of total arable land). All this may not have the best effect on the subsequent yield ...
The officials of the Kostanay region are a little more optimistic.
- This year, the sown area in the region will amount to 5 million 173 thousand hectares, including more than 37 thousand winter crops. Spring sowing is planned to be planted on an area of more than four million hectares, cereals and legumes - 3 million 928 thousand hectares, oilseeds - 651.7 thousand hectares, buckwheat - 12.2 thousand hectares, the area of potatoes has been increased to 4,426 hectares, and the area of vegetables will be 1724 hectares.
One of the main problems is a further increase in the volume of mineral fertilizers. Last year, due to unfavorable weather conditions, 69 thousand tons were introduced in terms of moisture supply. This year, they need to be introduced into the soil at least 80 thousand tons. However, due to rising prices, it is still impossible to give exact data on the availability of fertilizers ...
- This year it is necessary to ensure production at the level of favorable years - in terms of yield, gross harvest and other indicators. The issue of food security is very acute! - summed up the akim of the region Archimed Mukhambetov, thus making it clear to both the farmers themselves and the subordinates supervising their work that the demand will be tough, despite the objective and subjective difficulties ...
According to the information published on March 15 this year by the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper, "agrarians of the Akmola region fear that in the current conditions there is a possibility that the sowing campaign will not be carried out in full."
According to the planned indicators, this year the region plans to carry out spring sowing on an area of 5,092.8 thousand hectares. Including grain and leguminous crops, it is planned to place on 4,609 thousand hectares, which is higher than last year by 26.9 thousand hectares. Meanwhile, according to the agrarians themselves, the current situation is ambiguous: due to the increase in the exchange rate, consumables, spare parts, and chemical plant protection products have risen in price many times over. In addition, there is a very serious danger that there may be a shortage of crop protection chemicals or hybrid seeds. Currently, no supplier of agrochemicals can conclude a contract with farmers, because there are problems with the supply in the existing chain, and even the paid goods often cannot be physically delivered to customers.
“The situation is critical, there are great fears that the fields of farmers will now be overgrown with weeds, which, accordingly, will lead to the loss of a significant part of the crop,” Daniyar Mukushev, director of Bastau LLP, told reporters.
In addition to new problems, there are also old troubles, namely, the insufficiency and late start of funding for spring field work and climatic conditions.
Thus, the director of Enbek LLP Kuanysh Rakishev, recalling that the Akmola region is located in a zone of risky farming and over the past three years arid climatic conditions have been observed in the region, emphasized the inadmissibility of reducing state support in the form of subsidies and concessional lending.
Following the discussions of the last period of time, a package of questions within the framework of the work of the regional anti-crisis headquarters was sent to the NCE "Atameken" ...
At the end of February, agrarians of the West Kazakhstan region gathered at the kurultai of Kazakh farmers. Such an event was held in the region for the first time and its holding, according to the majority of participants, was caused by a number of problems that have not been solved for years.
The first deputy akim of the region, Arman Utegulov, was told about the inaccessibility of land resources for the population, the lack of cheap long-term loans, the shortage of professional personnel, problems with veterinary and phytosanitary safety, water shortages and corruption.
- In some areas, namely in Syrymsky, Terektinsky and Zhangalinsky regions, corruption schemes occur when akims, using their official powers, issue land plots to their relatives and acquaintances, - the speakers said. In response, the deputy head of the region promised that all given names and surnames would be transferred to the anti-corruption service and the regional prosecutor's office.
But with irrigation issues (a general shortage of irrigation water), problems with equipment and the inability to obtain loans due to the lack of liquid collateral, it turned out to be more difficult and representatives of the executive power could not immediately give an unambiguous answer to the questions posed, promising only to “thoroughly study these issues ".
- Every year, from the beginning of spring, a running around, or rather a “battle” regarding subsidies begins. For example, last year there was a delay, we received subsidies as early as December. And beginning farmers have already taken out loans, hoping to receive subsidies in the spring. We could not repair the equipment, purchase the necessary ...
In response, there was a promise that farmers would receive subsidies on time this year. Not much reassured by these words, the participants of the kurultai dispersed to their farms, promising to quickly gather again in the event of another bureaucratic “delay”…
In mid-March, the alarm was sounded in the Almaty region. There, according to plans, the total area of arable land is 974 thousand hectares, which is 1.3 thousand hectares more than last year. Most of the land is allocated for grain, fodder and oilseeds. Other allotments will be sown with corn, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, melons.
This is in theory, but in practice it turned out that it is at least too early to talk about complete readiness for the start of the sowing season.
During a special meeting in the regional akimat, chaired by the oblast akim Kanat Bozumbayev, its participants only had time to bend their fingers, listing the problems and difficulties.
As the deputy akim of the region Alibek Zhakanbaev, who is in charge of agriculture, reported, it is already possible to predict an acute shortage of vegetable stores:
- According to our calculations, in one season the population of the region and Almaty consumes 280 thousand tons of potatoes. The region has 53 potato storage facilities with a total capacity of 52,000 tons, which is only 37% of the need. And in Enbekshikazakh, Zhambyl districts and Kapshagai there is only one vegetable store each ...
The issue of fertilizers has not been resolved either. According to the vice-makim, peasant farms of Rayymbek and Balkhash districts have not yet applied for the purchase of mineral fertilizers, and their counterparts from other districts, Taldykorgan and Tekeli received only 6% of the planned volume.
The situation with the seed base is not entirely clear. In particular, according to the information provided, the seed farms of Aksu, Balkhash, Zhambyl districts and Taldykorgan do not produce seeds of high reproduction. Of the total volume of seeds produced in the region, only 10 thousand tons can be attributed to certified products.
The next problematic items are traditionally fuel and lubricants and equipment. Not only do the vast majority of farmers do not have a proper supply of fuel, but there are difficulties with the recently commissioned service and procurement centers (SPC), whose mission was to provide services to small peasant farms. Or rather, the purchase and leasing of tractors, combines, seeders, loaders, mounted and trailed machines to the villagers on preferential terms. In short, the SPC should, in theory, be a good support for a successful sowing campaign.
In total, 56 of them were created, more than 12 billion tenge was spent on their equipment from the local budget. However, only five service and procurement centers are currently operating effectively. Contracts with twelve SPCs were terminated due to their failure to fulfill their obligations. Another 13 centers have debts on leasing payments in the amount of 373 million tenge.
As a result, Alibek Zhakanbaev sadly stated that the poor quality work of the SPC causes acute dissatisfaction among the majority of farmers.
And finally, the age-old problem of lack of irrigation water, which seems to be unavoidable this year, is still relevant. Moreover, specialists of Kazhydromet warn about this. According to them, today the precipitation is 38% less than usual, snow reserves have significantly decreased in the mountains. In addition, the deterioration of irrigation networks and hydraulic structures complicates the situation. “In particular, drip irrigation systems and sprinkler systems are used only on 20.7 thousand hectares, which is less than 5% of the total area of irrigated land.”
Somewhat irritated by the report and the gloomy prospects that are opening up, the head of the region, Kanat Bozumbaev, according to the communiqué, “subjected severe criticism to the akims of the regions for the shortcomings in their work. Including, for the low level of procurement of fodder and mineral fertilizers, the reduction of sown areas. Then he acknowledged that "there are many acute problems that indicate the absence of a unified policy in the agriculture of the region" and emphasized that "preparation for the sowing season is the most important part of the work of akims of districts and cities." Therefore, “It is necessary to update the development plan for the agricultural sector as soon as possible, the authorized services need to take control of the issues of timely supply of fuel and lubricants to farmers, renewal of the machine and tractor fleet, issuance of loans to peasant farms for spring field work. It is urgent to prepare irrigation canals and reservoirs for the beginning of the irrigation season…”
In general, the officials of the Almaty region, which is still undivided into two parts, have something to seriously break their heads over. As, however, and their colleagues from other regions of the country. Because the "enormity" of government plans and the monumentality of programs can once again be very strongly adjusted on the ground. Moreover, not for the better, which, of course, will have very serious consequences for ensuring the notorious “food security” of this year's model.