Kazakhstan Flooded with Imported Sugar While Exports Hit Record Highs

Despite a temporary export ban, Kazakhstan’s sugar exports skyrocketed last year, increasing 13-fold. The country shipped out 126,000 tons — more than in the previous six years combined, Orda.kz reports, citing Energyprom.

At the same time, domestic sugar production plummeted by almost 29%. Between January and November 2024, Kazakhstani factories produced only 131,900 tons, far below the country’s needs.

The domestic market is now flooded with imported sugar. Over the past year, Kazakhstan imported nearly 405,000 tons, a 49% increase compared to 2023.

The top buyers of Kazakhstan's sugar include Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.

At the same time, most of the sugar that Kazakhstan exports isn’t locally produced, but imported from Russia and then resold,  analysts note.

To address the imbalance, authorities have nearly doubled the land allocated for sugar beet cultivation and expect a record harvest.

However, processing capacity has yet to catch up with raw material production.

The government offers subsidies and tax breaks to attract investors willing to build new sugar processing plants.

Original Author: Artem Volkov