Kazakhstan’s Vegetable Oil Exports Increase by One Third in Eleven Months

Kazakhstan’s oil and fat industry continues to demonstrate steady growth, driven by the systematic expansion of its raw material base and the scaling up of processing capacities. By the end of 2025, the total area planted with oilseed crops in the country reached 3.9 million hectares, representing an increase of more than one third compared to the previous season. Farmers placed particular emphasis on sunflower cultivation, allocating nearly an additional half a million hectares to this crop within the overall planting structure.

The main production load traditionally fell on the northern and eastern regions of the country, including North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Pavlodar, Akmola, East Kazakhstan regions and the Abai region. This strategy made it possible to achieve a gross harvest of 4.8 million tonnes of oilseed raw materials, of which approximately 2.3 million tonnes were sunflower seeds.

The increase in harvest volumes ensured stable utilization of domestic processing facilities, whose total annual capacity currently exceeds 5 million tonnes. The growth in raw material supply on the domestic market led to an increase in vegetable oil production to 888.8 thousand tonnes, which is 17.4% higher than in 2024. Sunflower oil dominates the production structure, with output exceeding 757 thousand tonnes.

Alongside production indicators, Kazakhstan’s foreign trade position has also strengthened. Over the eleven months of 2025, exports of vegetable oils increased by nearly 35%. Uzbekistan remains the key export destination, accounting for almost half of the total export volume, while significant shares are also shipped to China, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. On the global stage, Kazakhstan ranked eighth among the world’s largest exporters of sunflower oil and entered the top three suppliers of oilseed meal to the European Union.

The current performance of the sector is largely driven by the implementation of a long-term state strategy under the Concept for the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex until 2030, which focuses on producing goods with high added value. In order to ensure sufficient raw material supply for processing plants, protective measures remain in place, including export duties on sunflower seeds introduced in February 2023. The government also supports processors through concessional lending for working capital replenishment and the application of a reduced VAT rate. In addition, efforts are underway to expand access to priority markets: sanitary and phytosanitary protocols signed with China simplify the export of processed products, creating favorable conditions for the further promotion of domestic brands abroad.