No high yields, but quality survived: where to find good wheat in Kostanay region

 

Snow, frost, thaw — this year’s harvest campaign in the Kostanay region turned into a nerve-wracking challenge. The stress affected not only crops but also farmers. As a result, despite relatively good yields, wheat quality suffered significantly. These observations are reported by AgroSearch respondents in the daily monitoring conducted among agribusiness representatives.

 

Producers from the Kostanay, Karabalyk, Sarykol and Fedorov districts report high yields this season. According to their data, yields vary from 1.5 to 5 tonnes per hectare (15–50 centners/ha).

A respondent from the Kostanay district estimates yields at 16–17 c/ha, “better than last year.” Another farmer reports about 24 c/ha.

Higher results were registered in the Fedorov district — 28 c/ha — and in the Sarykol district — 25 and 50 c/ha.

However, this positive picture is overshadowed by a sharp decline in wheat quality.

“Due to rains and snow, part of the grain got wet, gluten fell to 19–20 %, so most of the harvest ended up as 4th class,” says a farmer from the Kostanay district.

Producers from the Karabalyk district confirm the problem.

“Some of the ears lodged; harvesting was difficult,” one farmer notes.

Another farmer reports that on the last fields the quality dropped to 5th class.

“We harvested separately and waited for better weather windows. That’s why the campaign dragged on,” he adds.

Another frequent comment in the monitoring: “Initially the gluten was at 27 %, then fell to 23 %, and finally dropped to 20 %.”

However, producers who managed to finish harvesting before the rains report stable quality — for example, respondents from the Fedorov district.

This year, grain quality declined even in districts where high-protein wheat is usually the key feature.

“It rained for nearly two weeks, gluten collapsed. Grain that was initially 3rd class ended up as 5th class,” says a respondent from the Amangeldy district.

Yields here do not exceed 7 c/ha, yet grain quality remains higher compared to other respondents.

A similar situation is observed in Arkalyk.

“Earlier gluten exceeded 30 %, and after every rain it declined. Essentially, the entire wheat crop could have been high-pro,” a producer says.

Farmers also report that they cannot deliver wheat to elevators — grain storage facilities are full, “the grain is piled up, there’s no space.”

Some farmers were left without harvest entirely. In the Zhangeldy district, producers say all crops were eaten by saiga antelopes.

“We didn’t even enter the field. The crop was growing well. Neighbouring farms harvested about 20 c/ha. We had the same, but saigas ate everything. You are not allowed to do anything about them, and there is no support,” a producer says.

Some farms harvested just 7 c/ha.

Yields similar to last year’s levels were reported in the Denisov district — from 10 to 17.5 c/ha. In the Beyimbet Maylin district, some farms harvested around 20 c/ha.