Kazakhstan’s low-grade wheat export to Armenia sparks debate

Panorama

Kazakhstan’s first shipment of wheat to Armenia via Azerbaijan has stirred debate after it emerged that the consignment was of fourth-grade quality, typically considered low-grade grain.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture announced that the country is ready to export 15,000–20,000 tons of wheat to Armenia monthly. The inaugural shipment of 1,000 tons, delivered in 15 wagons through Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, marked the first such delivery in Armenia’s history. The ministry clarified that the consignment comprised fourth-grade wheat suitable for producing all-purpose flour or animal feed.

In an interview with Panorama.am on Tuesday, nutrition expert David Pipoyan explained that, under a standard applied in Armenia, Kazakhstan and other Eurasian Economic Union states, wheat of grades one through four is classified as edible, while only the fifth grade is designated for feed. “Grade 4 wheat is dual-purpose,” he said. “It can be used for food or feed, but flour made solely from it does not meet the quality required for bakery products without blending with higher grades.” Pipoyan stressed the need for strict risk assessment to ensure food safety given wheat’s central role in the Armenian diet.

Agronomist Harutyun Mnatsakanyan, in turn, noted that over 40% of global grain production is used for animal feed, rising to 60% in developed countries. “It’s normal for Armenia to import feed-grade wheat,” he said. “The real issue is not the import itself but the political theatrics surrounding it.” He criticized officials for publicly praising the shipment, arguing that the country’s deeper problems lie in “moral decline and value erosion”.