Tons of Kazakh potatoes rotted at the border, failing to reach Uzbekistan.

Thousands of tons of potatoes sent from Pavlodar to Tashkent have frozen and spoiled after a ten-day delay at the border, reports KTK.

The cargo was en route from Pavlodar to Tashkent. However, it was held at the border for inspection. It was stuck for over 10 days and as a result, it simply spoiled. Businessmen estimate the damage in the tens of millions of tenge.

According to the businessmen, the cargo was sold in Uzbekistan in mid-January, and all necessary documents were completed before the export ban was imposed. However, at the border, the cargo was held for checks that lasted more than 10 days. During this time, the potatoes in the wagons froze, and after thawing, they began to spoil.

The businessmen assert that they completed all paperwork before the export ban was enacted, meaning there were no grounds for the delay. It is now impossible to send the cargo, and previously, the akimat offered to buy it back at a reduced price.

“They offered to buy the potatoes for 100–150 tenge per kilogram, while the market price is 300 tenge. I have lost 60 million tenge from three wagons!” – exclaims entrepreneur Nursultan Ormanov.

In a statement, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Erbol Taszhurekov announced that the inspection has concluded and there are no longer any obstacles to exporting the goods.