Record Harvest and New Routes: Kazakhstan Expands Grain Exports

Kazakhstan is demonstrating significant growth in grain exports thanks to a record harvest and expanded trade routes. From September 2024 to February 2025, railway grain transportation reached 7.4 million tons, of which 5.8 million tons were exported. This became possible due to the modernization of transport infrastructure and increased demand for Kazakh grain.

Key Export Destinations
The main importers of Kazakh grain remain Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and Caucasus countries. The largest shipments went to:
• Uzbekistan — 2.2 million tons (+34% compared to the previous year);
• Tajikistan — 857,000 tons (+49%);
• Iran — 700,000 tons (+1,800%);
• Azerbaijan — 363,000 tons (+900%);
• Afghanistan — 248,000 tons (+36%).
In addition to grain, Kazakhstan is actively exporting flour. From September to February, 466,000 tons of flour were transported, with 314,000 tons exported abroad. These figures indicate a high demand for Kazakh agricultural products on the international market.

New Export Routes
At the beginning of 2025, Kazakhstan launched five new grain export routes, significantly increasing supply volumes. In January, 1,228 containers were shipped via these routes, including 20 organized routes.
The focus is on Central Asia, China, and the port of Aktau, promoting market diversification.
In January 2025, railway transport handled 696,700 tons of cargo, including:
• 512,800 tons of grain (7,478 railcars);
• 418,600 tons exported;
• 94,100 tons delivered domestically.

Record Harvest and Future Prospects
In 2024, Kazakhstan harvested 26 million tons of grain — the best result in the last 10 years. The total yield of grain, rice, and leguminous crops increased by 47.4% compared to 2023, reaching 25.2 million tons. Oilseed production grew by 52.8%, reaching 3.3 million tons.
These results open new export opportunities. Experts estimate that Kazakhstan could increase grain exports to 12 million tons in the coming years. The main markets remain Central Asia, China, and the Middle East.

Government Support for Grain Exports
To stimulate exports and prevent surplus accumulation in the domestic market, the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture approved new rules for subsidizing wheat transportation costs on March 3, 2025.
The government plans to allocate 40 billion tenge from the state budget to subsidize the export of 2 million tons of grain. The subsidy amount will depend on the destination and range between 20,000 and 30,000 tenge per ton.
For instance:
• Exports via Russian ports in the Azov, Black, and Baltic Seas will receive 20,000 tenge per ton.
• Exports through Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to Baltic ports will receive 30,000 tenge per ton.

🔑 Key Takeaways:
• 📈 Export Growth: 5.8 million tons of grain exported from September 2024 to February 2025 (+48% YoY).
• 🚆 New Routes: Five new export routes launched.
• 💰 Government Support: 40 billion tenge allocated for transportation subsidies.