The grain production in Kazakhstan in 2022/23 MY reached one of the highest levels for the last 10 years. According to preliminary data of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, the harvest amounted to 22.1 mln tonnes, including 16.4 mln tonnes of wheat. The favorable weather conditions were one of the factors contributing to the achievement of such impressive harvest.
Head of the laboratory of agro-industrial department at SGS Kazakhstan Fursov Oleg shared his opinion about quality of Kazakh grain of harvest 2022.
- What are the general characteristics of Kazakh grain of harvest 2022?
- Analyzing the results obtained with SGS Global Quality Map program, we can see that the quality of the 2022 grain harvest in Kazakhstan turned matches the last year indicators. Dry weather with favorable temperatures had a positive effect on the high protein and gluten content of soft wheat, the natural weight averaged 78.0 kg/hl.
The average protein content remained almost at the level of the last 10 years and was equal to 14.9% on a dry basis. The average gluten content of soft wheat totaled 31.13% (ISO 21415-2). The average “falling number” was more than 320 seconds. On average, in three regions, grain impurity in wheat totaled 2.5%, weed impurity – 1.2%; bug damaged ~ 0.6%, corroded grain ~ 0.3%, broken grain ~ 1.5%.
Thus, a sufficiently high quality of grain of 2022 harvest will allow Kazakhstan to maintain its position on the world grain market, because wheat has high protein and gluten content and can serve as a flour improver in a number of countries.
- What risks related to the wheat quality may traders face while exporting Kazakh grain in 2022/23 MY?
- I should note the importance of determining the rheological properties of grain (flour), such as W – specific work of dough deformation, P – dough elasticity, L – dough extensibility, G – dough swelling index, which are standardized by European contracts. The laboratory has the appropriate equipment – Chopin NG alveograph. A survey of wheat in North Kazakhstan region according to the above indicators revealed a negative impact of bug. When the content of bug damaged grain is more than 3.0%, the W, P values and the amount of raw gluten sharply decreases. Grain damage of 5.0% or more lead to more than twofold decrease in rheological parameters (W, P) and the amount of gluten.
The above mentioned features are very significant for the final consumers of grain, because they form the baking properties of flour and affect the production of the final products.
- Does the existing Kazakh regulatory documentation that regulates the quality of exported grain comply with international standards?
- There is an ongoing work in Kazakhstan to harmonize international standards. Now ISO standards have been adopted – СТ РК ISO 7970, СТ РК ISO 11051, СТ РК ISO 658, etc. I think that similar work should be done to the European standards EU, EN, because the EU countries are regular consumers of Kazakh high-quality grain. High attention should be paid to the use of American standards for determining the hardness of wheat, which allows grain to be distributed according to the intended use at the stage of harvesting, depending on the size of the hardness, for example, confectionery or bakery production.
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