Sunflower oil is included in the list of socially important goods. That is, its price should be stabilized by the state. However, on the contrary, we see with our own eyes that the price of this product is rising every day. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, now a liter of oil costs an average of 769 tenge. What are the reasons for the rise in prices for sunflower oil?

       Over the past year, the price of sunflower oil has risen by about 26%. Given the annual inflation rate of 8.5 percent, this is too high. Sunflower oil is sold here for 814-836 tenge. Last year, the country produced 147 thousand tons of refined oil. It is 9% more than in 2020. The main oil refineries are located in Shymkent, East Kazakhstan and Almaty. Domestic entrepreneurs were able to provide 78% of the market of Kazakhstan. The volume of exports decreased by 19%. A few days ago, the Ministry of Heavy Industry began to issue quotas for the export of sunflower oil. This measure is aimed at regulating the prices of products on the domestic market.

       "In February 2022, it is allowed to export 5 thousand tons of sunflower seeds, and 16 thousand tons of sunflower oil can be exported. One enterprise has the right to export a maximum of 9 thousand tons of goods. ”Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

       Experts in this field say that the quotas allocated by the agency are insufficient. As a result, the processing capacity of sunflower has decreased by 70-80 percent and about 20 plants have been shut down. Worst of all, experts say, restricting those exports through quotas has not had a significant impact on oil prices. Because the price of raw materials for its production is falling.

      "Oil refineries are not fully operational, because it is difficult to export their products. As a result, companies are buying less sunflower seeds. It also had a negative impact on the economy, ”said Yadykar Ibragimov, chairman of the National Association of Oilseed Producers.

       If the situation is not resolved, Kazakhstan may lose its position in the oil market. That is, there is a risk of becoming a supplier of raw materials to other countries.

       Recall that President Kassymzhomart Tokayev instructed to increase the volume of non-primary goods. However, experts say that the policy pursued by the Ministry of Agriculture is the exact opposite.

       "According to official statistics, last year Kazakhstan harvested one million tons of sunflower. In fact, this figure does not exceed 820 thousand tons. If oil refineries do not start operating, 3,000 people will lose their jobs »Yadykar Ibragimov, Chairman of the National Association of Oilseed Producers

       It should be noted that now the processing capacity of sunflower seeds in the country is 3 times more than its production. That is, the potential of the industry is high. Only with the support of the state, oil producers could significantly benefit the country's economy.

       Standard.kz