In year 2000 Kazakhstan may export 5 mln tons of grain - minister

/IRBIS, Feb.8, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to the head of the Ministry of agriculture Sauat Mynbaev, that Kazakhstan, with its annual production capacity of at least 10 mln tons of grain, may export half of the year 2000 harvest. "We, of course, can not rely on all 10 mln tons, but we can rely on 5 mln tons of exports", said the minister. He also added that 10 mln tons of grain was the minimum possible harvest. He said export sales were the main task for the agriculture sector. The country exported 1.9 mln tons of grain in eleven months of 1999. "Thanks God, there is hope that this year will be a successful year as well", said the president of the country, who also participated the meeting. Last year Kazakhstan harvested 15.9 mln tons of grain. The government plans to support the agriculture further, despite the fact that plant growing has always been a quite successful sector. The president informed the government had plans to spend KZT11 mln this year to support agriculture. The government may also purchase 100 th. tons of grain from domestic producers. However, the government has no intentions of supporting insolvent and incompetitive sectors. The president said the borders could be closed for imports, but it would not allow Kazakhstani producers to increase the quality of their products. "You should keep in mind, that we can not close the borders, actually we can, but we will not do that - why should we conserve your bad work", said the president.