Harvest Under Pressure: How Weather Anomalies Hit the Fields of Kostanay Region

 

During the harvesting campaign in Kostanay Region, significant weather fluctuations, sharp differences in yields among farms, and a decline in grain quality were recorded. Overall, the season has been challenging for most agricultural producers in the region, despite some positive outcomes.

In Arkalyk, a farmer managing 45,000 hectares illustrated how weather swings can impact the entire agricultural cycle.
“At first, there were long-lasting rains, then a brief window of good weather — we had to push the machinery and work non-stop. Then the rains came back. Now things have stabilized a bit, and if the weather holds, we’ll manage without serious losses,” said a farm representative.

However, wheat yields were low — only 8.5 centners per hectare. This resulted not only from harvest-time rains but also from ten days of delays during sowing. Quality also declined. Most wheat fell into the third grade, with gluten content varying from 29–30% in some plots to 22–24% in others.

By the end of September, the purchase price for third-grade wheat was between 90,000 and 105,000 tenge per ton.

In contrast, farms in Uzunkol district reported strong results despite the challenging weather. Some achieved yields around 30 centners per hectare, mostly of third-grade quality.
“Fortunately, the rains didn’t affect grain quality. Wheat is averaging around 28 centners per hectare — an excellent figure for our region,” said local farmers.

Still, a lack of warmth, especially in August, led to a drop in quality to fourth grade in some places. Many producers are storing grain in dryers, waiting for more stable market conditions.

In Sarykol district, yields range between 15 and 20 centners per hectare. Farmers say the rains delayed harvesting and reduced grain quality to the fourth grade.

In the Altynsarin district, average yields reached 22 centners per hectare. In some areas, high-protein wheat was obtained due to additional fertilizer use, though overall quality remained uneven.

There are also exceptional cases. One farm reported that while the entire region was drenched in rain, their fields saw no precipitation from May to late July.
“As a result, the yield was weak. Now, on the contrary, rains are flooding the fields and preventing harvest. The wheat quality will likely deteriorate further,” the farmer said.

Before the rains, the grain was classified as third grade, but the remaining part has yet to ripen.

In Karasu district, some farms achieved yields up to 29 centners per hectare. The first batch produced the fourth grade — pale, underdeveloped grains. Later varieties, however, showed better results, reaching third grade.
“We haven’t sold yet. I’m monitoring prices, but I haven’t seen above 63,000 tenge per ton (excluding VAT) for fourth-grade wheat. The market is unstable — there’s too much grain. Those without storage or machinery are selling right away. We decided to wait until the situation becomes clearer,” said a farmer.

According to preliminary data, the average wheat yield in the region stands at 11.9 centners per hectare, with the highest results in Sarykol and Uzunkol districts.
Given a total sown area of 3.4 million hectares, the gross wheat harvest is estimated at 4 million tons.