During the Soviet era, Russia was a gross grain importer and over the last few years the country has grown as the largest grain exporter. Through the new food policy Russia seemed to have set an achievable target as grain exports to other countries are expected to reach 38mn tons by 2015.

Russia during the World Grain Forum in June, 2009 had initiated a food security tie up with the largest wheat consuming states such as India, China and Turkey to build wheat reserve stocks as well as to cushion future price slides, which has been faced by Russian farmers today. Despite the second-best year for exports and increasing demand from livestock farmers, grain prices still remain low on account of high domestic grain inventory.

Viktor Zubkov, the first Deputy Prime Minister of Russia during the Forum had urged foreign investors to develop the 20mn hectares of unused arable land in Russia. The country’s wheat production has crossed 65mn tons, and has set eyes at producing 100mn tons this year despite sinking wheat prices.

In a last week’s report by RIA Novosti, it stated meat production in Russia was also witnessing significant growth over the past few years. Agriculture Minister Elena Skrynnik while she met Medvedev informed domestic meat production grew 14 percent to 3.3mn tons last year, reducing imports by 20 percent.

Similarly, though Russia is short of poultry production, the recent ban on the US poultry is intended to stimulate domestic poultry production. Russia banned imports of the US chlorine-treated poultry as of 1 January on non-compliance to country’s safety standards, a decision likely to hike domestic poultry prices.

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Both countries have maintained steady link with each other through top level talks and exchanges ever since Nazarbayev assumed office in 1990. The countries have always extended their co-operation in all spheres within the multi-lateral frameworks of the UN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

Nazarbayev is a known ally of China in issues related to the Tibet and Taiwan. Even before the meet, the Kazakh president had reiterated his support for China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Kazakhstan and China share a borderline of more than 1,700 km, and bilateral ties got a boost especially after a rail link was established in the early 1990 through the Allah Mountain pass. The China-Kazakhstan Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 2002 has also helped both parties to improve their relations and do away with all outstanding border issues.

The Chinese president suggested four-pronged formula to Nazarbayev during the talks to boost and expand both countries’ bilateral co-operation to all areas. The Kazakh president not only agreed to the formula but also commended China’s effort in tackling the global economic crisis. On the other hand, Hu expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for backing China on several occasions including issues related to Taiwan and Tibet, and while Beijing Olympics and Paralympics.

The Kazakhstan–China oil pipeline is China’s first direct oil import pipeline and will be 3000 km long once completed. The first stage of the pipeline became operational since 2003 is the major economic co-operation achieved by both countries so far.

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