Kazakhstan to Extend Fuel Export Ban for Another Six Months

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has proposed extending the ban on petroleum product exports, including to EAEU countries, for another six months due to widespread fuel smuggling, Orda.kz reports.

The draft order has been published on the Open NPA portal for public discussion, which will continue until March 14. The current ban was originally introduced to curb the sharp rise in AI-92 gasoline and diesel fuel consumption caused by illegal exports.

Law enforcement agencies estimate that up to 45,000 tons of fuel are smuggled out of the country every month, mainly due to significant price differences—fuel prices in Kazakhstan are 17–166% lower than in neighboring countries.

Additionally, Kazakhstan imports petroleum products duty-free under an agreement with Russia, which mandates a ban on their re-export outside the EAEU. The draft order has been signed by the Ministry of Energy, the National Security Committee, and the Ministries of Finance and Internal Affairs.

The current six-month ban expires on March 29, and the new restrictions will take effect immediately thereafter.

Original Author: Alina Pak