August 11 2008, 14:52

Kazakhstan: bad harvest caused rise in prices for carrot in the south of the country

The prices for carrot on the markets of the South-Kazakhstan oblast remain at high because of bad harvest of this crop, “Kazakhstan Today” correspondent reported.

The seasonal price-cutting for vegetables did not much impact carrot: while the market cost of this crop totaled $0.91-0.99/kg at the beginning of summer, today the prices total $0.70-0.83/kg. We should mention that market operators offer carrot of very low edible qualities, close to feed crop. At that, such a widely distributed variety as carotel is almost absent. According to the farmers, this situation is caused by crop failure in the South-Kazakstan oblast.

“There is bad harvest of carrot this year. We sowed this crop twice, watered, but this did not help. The early heat may be the main reason”- Shavkat Zakirov, the farmer of Sayramskiy region of the South-Kazakhstan oblast told to the correspondent. At the same time, according to the farmer, such vegetables as cucumbers, tomatoes, haricot beans gave a good harvest.

Due to bad harvest of carrot, shortage of carrot is expected in winter. “In winter, carrot must be expensive”,- S. Zakirov considers.

In the South of Kazakhstan, carrot is obligatory ingredient of such common meals as pilaw and Korean salads.