Farmers in Kostanay Region Deliver 162,700 Tonnes Under Forward Contracts

Agricultural producers in Kazakhstan's Kostanay Region delivered 162,700 tonnes of agricultural products to the Food Contract Corporation under the 2026 forward procurement program. The region leads Kazakhstan in the pace of fulfilling contractual obligations. A total of 73 farms received financial support for their sowing and harvesting campaigns.

According to Almat Shayakhmetov, head of the Kostanay regional office of the National Company Food Contract Corporation JSC, wheat accounted for the majority of deliveries, totaling 137,700 tonnes. In addition, agricultural enterprises in the region supplied the national grain operator with 9,900 tonnes of barley, 10,000 tonnes of oilseed flax, and 5,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds.

The forward procurement program includes 45 peasant farms and 28 limited liability partnerships. The number of peasant farms using government support mechanisms through the Food Contract Corporation continues to increase each year.

As Almat Shayakhmetov noted, the program is also attracting agricultural producers that have not previously worked with the national grain operator. Specialists at the regional office explain the financing conditions and assist participants at every stage, from submitting an application to fulfilling their product delivery obligations.

Particular attention is paid to smaller farms, which often face considerable difficulties obtaining loans from banks and other financial institutions.

The Food Contract Corporation began preparations for financing the 2026 spring fieldwork campaign back in December. The first funds were transferred to agricultural producers in January.

According to the regional office head, the forward procurement mechanism enables farmers to secure the necessary resources in advance and invest additional funds in improving the quality of their agricultural products.

In particular, producing higher-quality wheat requires agricultural producers to increase spending per hectare, purchase fertilizers on time, and carry out the necessary crop treatments. Under the forward procurement program, a farm receives advance financing before sowing begins and delivers the contracted volume of crops after the harvesting campaign is completed.

Farmers primarily use the funds received to repair agricultural machinery, purchase seed material, fuel and lubricants, and pay employees' wages.

Almat Shayakhmetov emphasized that receiving financing during the winter allows farmers to agree on fertilizer prices with suppliers in advance and arrange delivery before the sowing campaign begins. As a result, farms do not have to search for financing and purchase the necessary resources at the same time in spring.

In 2026, the list of agricultural crops purchased by the Food Contract Corporation under forward contracts includes durum and soft wheat, barley, sunflower, oilseed flax, rapeseed, and corn.

As Kazakhstan continues its policy of diversifying cultivated areas, the national grain operator is expanding financing for oilseed production. This measure is intended to encourage agricultural producers to broaden the range of crops they grow.

As the head of the Kostanay regional office explained, cultivating several types of crops allows farms to reduce the dependence of their income on wheat yields and fluctuations in wheat prices.

When selecting crops, farmers consider market demand, projected returns per hectare, and whether a crop can be incorporated into their existing crop rotation system. As a result, the region's crop planting structure is gradually changing.

In 2026, the area planted with oilseed crops in Kostanay Region exceeded 1.1 million hectares, while 224,700 hectares were allocated to grain legumes.

The Food Contract Corporation's regional office also recommends that agricultural producers begin planning for the next spring season well in advance, with priority given to preparing seed material.

According to Almat Shayakhmetov, farms should determine which crops they intend to grow and on which areas as early as autumn, establish the required seed reserves, and test seed germination rates.

At the same time, farmers are advised to calculate their expected expenses per hectare. This will allow them to assess in advance what proportion of the costs can be covered with their own funds and how much additional financing will need to be secured.