ASTANA, April 15: Kazakhstan on Tuesday halted all wheat exports until September 1 in a bid to tackle rising food prices, the Central Asian state’s government said in a statement.

“This decision is based on the need to ensure the country’s food security and to stop the domestic market from feeling the negative consequences of price rises on the world market,” Prime Minister Karim Masimov said.

Kazakhstan is the biggest wheat producer in Central Asia and has said it aims to become the fifth largest producer in the world.

Its exports of flour will not be affected by the moratorium, the statement said.

Despite a record harvest of 20 million tons last year, food prices experienced a sharp rise as 2007 inflation approached 19 per cent.—AFP