Maize and its high-quality genetics: a true potential for Kazakhstan

A delegation of Kazakh agriculture decision-makers visited France this past September. The event offered an opportunity for the FNPSMS – the French interprofessional organisation of maize and sorghum seed production – to be received by the Kazakh Embassy and to meet several important officials, particularly the Kazakh Vice Minister for Agriculture, H.E. the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, and the Head of the country’s agronomic research centre.

The event also provided an opportunity for the French organisation to present the “Yield maize” materials produced as part of its promotion programme for maize and its genetics in Kazakhstan. The Kazakh Vice Minister stressed the strategic role of maize in his country, both as feed – to support the development of the domestic livestock industry, and grain – to supply the Chinese market. Given that Kazakhstan is particularly interested in early varieties with a maturity of 70 to 80 days, Western genetics possesses the right assets for this market. The KZK catalogue currently includes 26 “French-made” maize varieties as well as 6 sorghum varieties of the same provenance. Kazakhstan’s inclusion in a common economic area alongside Russia and Belarus should facilitate a mutual recognition of catalogues among these countries. Lastly, the Vice Minister also expressed the country’s strong interest in developing its sorghum industry, especially in the salty soil regions bordering the Caspian Sea.