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Astana, July 30 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan is tentatively planning to increase its wheat harvest 12% to 14 million tonnes in 2009 from 12.5 million tonnes in 2008, Agriculture Minister Akylbek Kurishbayev told journalists in Astana on Thursday.

"We think that 1.5 million-2 million tonnes more wheat should be harvested this year than last year. That would be about 14 million tonnes in net weight if the weather is favorable in August and the wheat is harvested in time," he said, noting that a more precise forecast would be issued in mid-August.

Kazakhstan harvested 15.6 million tonnes of grain in net weight in 2008 despite a severe drought, although the Agriculture Ministry believes the quality of the grain was much better than in previous years. The grain harvest totaled 17.2 million tonnes in gross weight.

Kazakhstan increased its grain harvest 22% to a record 20.1 million tonnes in net weight in 2007, including 16.6 million tonnes of wheat compared to 13.5 million tonnes of wheat in 2006.

The area planted with grain was increased by 1.9 million hectares to 21.9 million hectares in 2009, including 14.7 million hectares of wheat.