Growth of 24%: Kazakhstan Expands Production and Export of Vegetable Oil

Kazakhstan is witnessing an unprecedented boom in the oilseed processing sector. In the first seven months of 2025, the country’s vegetable oil production increased by almost a quarter, driven by record expansion of sown areas and the growing interest of farmers in more profitable crops.
An analysis of production indicators for January–July of this year shows a significant leap. Kazakhstani enterprises produced 521.2 thousand tons of vegetable oil, 24% more than in the same period last year, when 420.5 thousand tons were produced. The main driver of growth remains sunflower oil, whose output rose by 24.5% — from 367.8 thousand to 457.7 thousand tons.
This positive trend continues the success of 2024. By the end of last year, the country produced 753 thousand tons of vegetable oil, improving the 2023 figure (672.1 thousand tons) by 12%. Sunflower oil production for the same period grew even more — by 18.3%.

Untapped Potential and Growing Exports
Despite impressive volumes, the industry still holds significant capacity for further growth. Currently, Kazakhstan operates 88 oil processing plants capable of processing up to 4.7 million tons of oilseeds annually. However, according to the Bureau of National Statistics, their average capacity utilization stands at only about 35%. This indicates that with sufficient raw material, the country could multiply the output of finished products.
Domestic production growth is also reinforced by success on foreign markets. In 2024, Kazakhstan increased its vegetable oil exports by 29%. The key buyers of Kazakhstani products were China, which accounted for 42.4% of all deliveries, and Uzbekistan with 35.4%. They are followed by Tajikistan (12.7%), Afghanistan (3.2%), as well as Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, and Turkmenistan.

Farmers Bet on Oilseeds
The foundation of this production boom was the strategic decision of farmers to expand sown areas. In 2025, oilseed acreage increased by 1.055 million hectares, or 36%. The leading crop was sunflower, whose area expanded by 481 thousand hectares, reaching a historic maximum. Significant growth was also observed in flax (+376 thousand ha) and rapeseed (+173 thousand ha).
The leading regions for sunflower expansion were Pavlodar Region (+136 thousand ha), Kostanay Region (+109 thousand ha), North Kazakhstan Region (+65 thousand ha), and Akmola Region (+46 thousand ha).
It is clear that Kazakhstani farmers are increasingly shifting to oilseed cultivation, seeing it as a more profitable alternative to traditional crops. This trend not only confirms the effectiveness of state policy on agricultural diversification but also opens new opportunities for the country in the global food market. Given the enormous reserve of processing capacity, the current growth may only mark the beginning of a long journey.