KUWAIT - Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has started producing a light crude and the first cargo of the new grade is expected to be exported by the end of June, Kuwait's oil minister Bakhit al-Rashidi said on Wednesday.

This would be the first export of a light crude grade from the OPEC Gulf producer, the minister, who is also chairman of KPC, was quoted as saying in a statement.

KPC had said last year it was working to produce a new sour grade, Kuwait Super Light, with an API gravity of 47 and a sulphur content of 1.6 percent. 

(Reporting By Ahmed Hagagy; Writing By Maha El Dahan; Editing by Ghaida Ghantous) ((Maha.Dahan@thomsonreuters.com; + 9712 4082101; Reuters Messaging: maha.dahan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))