Kazakh Railways (KTZ) has temporarily banned the export of agricultural goods via rail to China. KTZ explains the ban by referring to overloaded border crossings.
At the Dostyk and Khorgos border crossings, 180 and 100 covered goods wagons respectively are waiting to be processed. According to KTZ, the Chinese railways do not unload the wagons in a timely manner. For this reason, the Kazakh rail operator does not believe that it should bring any additional covered goods wagons in the direction of China.
Meanwhile, Chinese parties say that their border stations are not overloaded. Kazakh publication ElDala comments that there is no question of technical problems, but rather bureaucratic issues that Kazakh state agencies should resolve.
The ban concerns wheat, barley, oilseeds, press cake and flour. At the Dostyk border crossing, the ban additionally extends to petroleum coke and coal in gondola cars. The ban will enter into effect on 11 April and last until 20 April.
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