In 2009 and 2011, when grain crops were abundant, the FCC withdrew from the market around one-quarter of the harvest, with FCC’s purchases considerably exceeding its sales. In the 2010 drought year, the operations were reversed: the FCC released additional volumes of grain onto the market that equalled nearly 40% of that year’s crop. In addition to domestic operations, the FCC is involved in international grain trading. As an operator of state grain resources and commercial trader, the company uses its own funds to purchase grain for exports. Export sales are closely linked with its domestic operations and more likely represent an activity to balance the company’s grain stocks than a regular trading business. Thus, FCC exports have been extremely variable, ranging in 2001-11 from 1 000 tonnes (2005) to 835 000 tonnes (in 2003), as was their importance relative to FCC’s domestic sales and Kazakhstan’s total grain exports (Figure 2.5).