State-funded seed testing has been abolished in Kazakhstan since 2026. Farmers must now conduct it at their own expense. At the same time, the country has strengthened enforcement of seed production legislation, according to the APK News agency.
This information was announced by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov at a government meeting dedicated to the start of spring field work. According to him, mass sowing has begun in the country, and special attention is being paid to monitoring the quality of seed material.
"In order to optimize budget expenditures and reduce state support measures, state-funded seed testing has been abolished starting this year. Farmers must conduct seed testing at their own expense, and this work should not be halted due to a lack of state funding," Sultanov said.
Meanwhile, to strengthen oversight of seed production, a new department has been created within the State Inspection Committee of the Agricultural Complex to monitor farmers' compliance with seed production legislation.
The Ministry of Agriculture also plans to strengthen oversight of the activities of grain and breeding inspectors at the Ministry of Agriculture.
"This will strengthen oversight in key areas of crop production and ensure the effectiveness of government measures to develop the industry," the Ministry of Agriculture believes.
A new seed subsidy mechanism was introduced this year. The reimbursement rate for subsidized domestically produced seeds has been increased by 10%.
Speaking about the sowing season, the Deputy Minister noted that the total seed demand is 2.3 million tons, which, according to inspection results, meets Classes 1 and 2 of the sowing standard.