Kazakhstan's sunflower oil exports surge 60% in 2023In 2023, Kazakhstan saw a notable increase in sunflower oil exports, with nearly 370,000 tonnes exported, marking a 60% surge compared to 2022, announced Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov."In 2023, sunflower oil exports reached 364,400 tonnes valued at $321.1 million, a 60% surge from the previous year. Key importers include Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and China,” Bektenov said in response to a parliamentary inquiry.Of this amount, unrefined oil constituted 316,200 tonnes (80%), while refined oil comprised 48,200 tonnes (20%).Kazakhstan has over 60 sunflower processing plants with a total capacity of 3 million tons. However, in 2023, only 1.2 million tons of sunflower seeds were harvested, and the plants operated at just 40% capacity.Bektenov highlighted the imposition of a 20% export customs duty (ECD), with a minimum of 100 euros per tonne, since February of the previous year. This measure led to a significant rise in oil production, from 331.1 thousand tonnes to 534.1 thousand tonnes. Consequently, there was a decrease of 17% in sunflower oil imports, amounting to 89.1 thousand tonnes in 2023.Bektenov noted that since February of last year, a 20% export duty, with a minimum of 100 euros per tonne, was imposed. "Following the implementation of the ETP for sunflower oil exports, production surged from 331,100 tonnes to 534,100 tonnes. This led to a substitution of imported vegetable oil in the domestic market. In 2023, sunflower oil imports decreased by 17% to 89,100 tonnes tonnes,” he said.The Prime Minister highlighted that the export duty helped stabilize sunflower oil prices domestically.Bektenov also noted that "sunflower oil production yields a valuable by-product, cake meal, used in livestock feed for poultry, livestock farming, and animal feed production. Cake exports rose by 72% in 2023 to 295,900  tonnes, compared to 2022." Kazakh cake exports extend to countries such as Iran, Latvia, China, UAE, Oman, Korea, and others. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX