Kazakhstan Expands Grain Exports Despite Earlier Fears of Shortage

Following recent snowfall in northern regions, many Kazakhs feared that grain production would fall short of domestic needs. However, Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov assured that harvest volumes are sufficient and that local grain is being confidently shipped to international markets, Orda.kz reports.

Saparov emphasized that Kazakhstan has no intention of slowing down its export activity.

As is known, grain exports this past season amounted to 13.4 million tons, 47% higher than the previous marketing year. This was facilitated by transport subsidies,
 Saparov noted.

Government support measures for grain exports have been extended until September 1, 2026.

The minister also announced that in 2025, Kazakhstan will begin supplying new, non-traditional markets, including Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Norway, the UK, Vietnam, the UAE, and North African countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt, which purchased Kazakh wheat for the first time in 15 years.

In addition, deliveries to Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia have resumed.

Demand for our grain continues to remain high: approximately 2.2 million tons of the new harvest have already been exported, which is 21% more than the same period last season,
 added the head of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Despite strong exports, the government still owes farmers hundreds of billions of tenge in unpaid subsidies, which continue to accumulate each year.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov