“Grain imports from Kazakhstan don’t carry political risks, despite this country is a
member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as well as Russia,” Chairman of the Grain Importers Association Levan
Silagava says.
According to Levan Silagava, despite its membership in the organization, Kazakhstan pursues an independent policy and Russia can’t affect Kazakhstan to sell grain to Georgia.
Silagava notes that 90% of grain is imported from Russia that increases the country's dependence on Moscow’s policy.
“Supplies should be diversified but the grain price should be economically profitable for the business. a possible subsidizing of the cost of grain transportation through the country’s territory by the Kazakh side that will allow to buy the product at an affordable price, ”Leva Silagava explains.
In the words of Chairman of the Grain Importers Association, Kazakhstan will begin harvesting in September.
“We sent approximate figures to the Kazakh side about the volumes of grain we can buy in Kazakhstan - roughly, it is about 200,000 tons but it will depend on the price, ”he says.
Silagava adds that Georgia consumes 600,000 tons of grain per year, and in the near future Kazakhstan’s share will make 25% and dependence on Russia will reduce by 30-35%.
Silagava believes that it is very difficult to talk about a complete refusal from Russian grain supplies.
“In our region there are three large grain producers - Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan. Now we are in talks with Ukraine, but they supply grain to the European Union at zero customs rates and it is unprofitable for them to export grain somewhere else. We can negotiate with other Black Sea countries - for example, with Bulgaria and Romania who are also major grain producers, ”Levan Silagava stresses.
According to him, Georgia’s main goal is to increase grain that would allow to abandon imports, but this will take several years.