Kazakh Minister blames Uzbek harvest failure for potato price surge

Kazakhstan’s Minister of National Economy, Serik Jumangarin, has attributed the recent rise in potato prices to a poor harvest in Uzbekistan. He made the remarks during an interview with journalists.

In response to questions about the high cost of potatoes, the minister confirmed that last year’s harvest was weak.

“The law of supply and demand is at play here. There were no proper potato harvests in Belarus, Russia, or Uzbekistan,” Jumangarin explained. “Kazakhstan had sufficient reserves from last year. However, farmers needed to make a profit, so we did not restrict potato exports until a certain point. There is no shortage of potatoes, but prices have gone up.”

The minister noted that the government had considered two options: one was to cap prices, but this could have discouraged farmers from planting potatoes this year, potentially leading to a real shortage next year. The second option was to restrict exports, which was ultimately chosen.

“We did not impose price controls because that would contradict market principles. Currently, potatoes are priced between 400 and 600 tenge. However, new potatoes have started arriving from Turkestan, where they cost around 200–300 tenge. I believe prices will stabilize soon. There has never been a moment when potatoes were unavailable on store shelves. The only issue is the price, and demand will adjust accordingly,” Jumangarin said.

According to official figures, Kazakhstan has produced 15,000 tons of high-quality “premium” potatoes this year, in addition to 2.6 million tons of standard-grade potatoes. Despite rising prices, there is no shortage of the staple crop, often referred to as the country’s “second bread.”

Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko recently emphasized the importance of increasing domestic potato production, asserting that Belarus should produce enough for both itself and Russia. He noted that Russia is also facing a growing potato shortage.