Forecast of grain corn yield announced in Kazakhstan

Kazhydromet has published a preliminary forecast for the grain corn yield. The figures in many regions are above the long-term average.

According to the data presented, the grain corn yield in 2025 is forecast:

• in the Zhetysu region, above the long-term average in the Yeskeldinsky and Karatalsky districts. In the Talgarsky and Panfilovsky districts, it is forecast to be around the norm;
• in the Almaty region, above the long-term average;
• in the Zhambyl region, the yield is forecast to be around and above the long-term average.
• in the Turkestan region, it is generally expected to be above the long-term average, in the Maktaaralsky district and Turkestan, it is expected to be around the norm.

The department explained that the reserves of productive moisture are taken into account as 80% of the lowest field moisture capacity (optimal), that is, provided that the plants in the fields receive the vegetative irrigation norm of water. If the norms and timing of vegetation irrigation are not observed, then a shortfall in the harvest compared to the forecast is possible.

“This year, corn sowing in the Turkestan region began in the first ten days of April. In the Almaty, Zhetysu and Zhambyl regions in the first ten days of May. The first shoots began to appear from the second ten days of April to the second ten days of May. In the corn growing areas in the south and southeast, the air temperature was 4…6°C above normal, precipitation was generally less than normal,” says the information from Kazhydromet.

In June, in the first and second ten days, the air temperature was 2-4 degrees above normal. Precipitation mainly fell only in mountainous and foothill areas.

In the third ten days of June, air temperature fluctuations were noted, especially in the Kyzylorda region, where the anomaly of the average air temperature was up to minus 2-4 degrees. Abundant precipitation near and above the norm occurred in the south in the second and third ten-day periods of June.

A deficit of precipitation since the beginning of the growing season is observed in the Zhambyl region, which increases the need for timely irrigation work in irrigated areas.

At the time of the forecast, in the observed areas in the Almaty region, the condition of the plants is mainly good and excellent. The average weight of corn plants is from 234 to 677 grams.

In the Zhetysu region, the condition of the plants is mainly good, the height of the plants is 275 cm.

In the vicinity of the Oshakty agricultural post in the Keles district of the Turkestan region, the condition of the plants is good. The height of the plants is 267 cm.

Thus, Kazhydromet summed up, the growth and development of corn is taking place within the usual time frame, and vegetation irrigation is being carried out. However, the final yield largely depends on the timeliness of these irrigations; in addition, frequent atmospheric and soil droughts, typical for the southern regions, will also affect the crop yield.

Tags: Kazakhstan, crop forecast, corn