IMPORTED GRAIN GOES 100% MORE EXPENSIVE

    BAKU/14.09.10/TURAN: Food grain imported from Kazakhstan has gone 100% more expensive against the index in early July. It is sold at $270-300 per ton on Azerbaijan"s border. This means flour and bread could go more expensive too.
     Azerbaijan imported 650,000 tons of grain in January-July 2010. Kazakhstan grain was sold at $140 per ton in early July.
     Flour became 15-20% more expensive, beginning from the second ten days of August. It is sold at AZN 17.5 - AZN 19 per 50-kg on average (the exact figures depend on the region).
     Azerbaijan has produced less grain in 2010. Overall 1.85 million tons of grain has been picked. This resulted from the decrease in the sown area and the reduction of the productivity per hectare.
     The quality of Azerbaijan"s grain causes disputes. Several experts say it does not meet the standards implemented by the State Grain Fund under the Ministry of Emergency Situations. That is why only a small amount was acquired for the Fund against the need for 500,000 tons.
     The experts said the Ministry of Emergency Situations had prolonged the purchasing of Azerbaijani grain for the Fund until October 1. Third-class grain is purchased at AZN 180 per ton. The ministry is completing the construction of granaries in Alat (a settlement near Baku) for 100,000 tons of grain and Gandja for 60,000 tons.
     Neither the ministry nor the Fund reported about how much grain had been purchased this year. --08B-