Oligopsony power in the Kazakh grain supply chain

The Kazakh grain producing and processing sectors are prominent components of the Kazakh agriculture. Production and export of grain, especially of wheat and wheat flour, has demonstrated significant annual growth after the 1990's crisis. However, the grain market is highly regulated by the government and some of the implemented policy instruments cause local grain market distortions. For example, the wheat export ban imposed by the government in 2008 triggered local wheat price fluctuations, followed by the price spikes after the ban elimination. In addition to the government interventions, the Kazakh grain sector is seriously challenged by production inefficiency, outdated production technology, low yields, limited access to financial recourses, landlocked position of the country and underdeveloped infrastructure. Furthermore, a non-competitive market structure, such as asymmetric price developments and antitrust law violations, is observed within the Kazakh grain supply chain. Evidence suggests that the grain processing sector, procuring roughly a third of the grain produced in the country, might be influencing the grain prices in Kazakhstan. Moreover, the grain sector became highly concentrated in recent years. Many processing companies exit the sector, enabling the remaining players to control the large share of the market. Therefore, the focus of this study is to analyze the structure of the grain supply chain in Kazakhstan, followed by the examination of the competitiveness of the Kazakh grain processing sector using econometric analyses. The econometric analyses are conducted within the framework of the New Empirical Industrial Organizations (NEIO). The three approaches being applied for the market power analysis are Hall's approach, General Identification Method (GIM) and Production Theoretical Approach (PTA). The results are examined and reported in combination with the analysis of the grain supply chain. [...]