OREANDA-NEWS. April 11, 2013. According to First Deputy Minister of Regional Development Kairbek Uskenbayev, the inventory of agricultural lands was started last year on the instruction of the President of Kazakhstan and will last until 2014. In 2012, more than 31 million hectares underwent inventory.

The territory of Kazakhstan is 272.49 million hectares, of which agricultural lands amount to 222.24 million ha, of which: cropland - 29.41 million ha, perennial plantings - 0.12 million ha, hayfields – 5.16 million ha, pastures – 187.55 ha. 40% of the total area of agricultural lands or 91 million hectares are involved in agricultural production.

Last year, the inventory covered one third of all regions, except the city of Almaty and Astana.

This year, the inventory of agricultural lands envisages inspection of 30.6 million hectares. All documentation has been prepared. Budget funds have been allocated as well.

"The facts of non-use of 7 thousand land plots on more than 3 million hectares of agricultural land area were revealed during the first stage of the inventory. Of them about 400 thousand ha are cropland. A significant difference between accounting figures and actual data on use of cropland is seen in Pavlodar region - 113 thousand hectares, East Kazakhstan region - 77 thousand hectares, Akmola region - 54 thousand hectares, Karaganda region - 53 thousand hectares," Serik Akhmetov said.

He instructed the Ministry of Regional Development to continue the inventory. Akims of the regions were urged to take measures to ensure use every hectare of unused land and organize summer pastures.