Kazakhstan’s Export Prices Rise for Fourth-Class Wheat and Feed Barley
Kazakhstan’s fourth-class wheat and feed barley export prices rose as buying from Iran and China strengthened. Third-class wheat held at $240–250 per tonne DAP Saryagash, while higher rail and forwarding costs increased delivery expenses.
Feed-grain prices move higher
Kazakhstan’s export prices for fourth-class wheat and feed barley increased last week, while third-class wheat quotations remained stable, APK-Inform Asia reported in its weekly digest. The movement shows a firmer market for feed-grade commodities, supported by more active purchasing from Iran and China and accompanied by rising delivery costs.
Third-class wheat continued to trade at $240–250 per tonne DAP Saryagash. Fourth-class wheat, by comparison, rose to $235–245 per tonne on the same delivery basis. The remaining gap between the two grades narrowed to as little as $5 per tonne at both ends of the reported ranges, making quality differentials and end-user specifications more important for buyers.
High-protein wheat was offered at $275–280 per tonne DAP Saryagash. That placed it well above both standard third-class wheat and fourth-class material, preserving a clear premium for grain with stronger quality characteristics.
Iranian and Chinese demand supports barley
Export prices for feed barley increased to $195–205 per tonne FOB Aktau. On the route to China, offers reached $180 per tonne DAP Dostyk/Alashankou. APK-Inform Asia linked the stronger market to more active purchases by Iran and China, two destinations served through different logistics corridors.
The increase does not translate directly into better producer or trader margins. Higher railway tariffs and freight-forwarding expenses are raising the cost of shipments, potentially absorbing part of the price gain. Exporters must therefore assess destination prices together with the cost and availability of transport through Saryagash, Aktau and the Dostyk/Alashankou crossing.
Feed flour follows fourth-class wheat
Feed flour prices edged up to $240–250 per tonne DAP Alashankou. The main factor was the higher domestic cost of fourth-class wheat used in production. China receives the bulk of Kazakhstan’s feed flour shipments, and demand there remained high, according to APK-Inform Asia.
Domestic grain quotations reflected the split between stable milling-grade wheat and firmer feed-grade wheat. Third-class wheat remained at 84,000–92,000 tenge per tonne EXW. Wheat containing at least 27% gluten was priced at about 106,000 tenge per tonne EXW from elevators, while fourth-class wheat increased to 78,000–88,000 tenge per tonne EXW.
Domestic feed barley held at 60,000–70,000 tenge per tonne including VAT on an EXW basis. For processors, the rise in fourth-class wheat raises the input cost of feed flour even though barley prices at origin remain stable. For regional buyers, the central question is whether sustained demand from Iran and China can keep export quotations firm enough to offset more expensive rail and forwarding services.
