Tajikistan Increases Imports of Kazakh Vegetable Oils

In the first half of 2025, vegetable oil shipments from Kazakhstan to Tajikistan rose by 60% compared to the same period last year. Despite efforts to boost domestic production, the country remains heavily dependent on foreign supplies.

According to the Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, from January to June of this year, the volume of imported vegetable oils reached 47.4 thousand tons, amounting to over $35.5 million. Of this volume, 38.2 thousand tons were sourced from Kazakhstan, which continues to be the main supplier of oil and fat products to the Tajik market.

Sunflower oil holds the largest share in the import structure. In addition, Tajikistan purchases soybean and rapeseed oils from Kazakhstan: in the first five months of the year, imports of soybean oil totaled 2.7 thousand tons (a 7.7% increase year-on-year), while rapeseed oil imports reached 2.3 thousand tons.

According to estimates by the Ministry of Industry, Tajikistan spends between $170 and $180 million annually on vegetable oil imports. This product remains one of the most expensive items in the country’s food import structure. At the same time, domestic production covers only about 21% of the national demand: with an annual need of 150 thousand tons, local plants provide only 25–30 thousand tons.

The main barrier to expanding domestic production is a limited supply of raw materials. Producing even 100 thousand tons of oil requires around 833 thousand tons of oilseeds, while the total harvest of oil crops in the country—including sunflower, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, and others—does not exceed 100 thousand tons. This amount of raw material can yield no more than 25 thousand tons of finished product.

There are currently 72 oil processing plants operating in Tajikistan, but only a few—mainly in Dushanbe and Khujand—are equipped with modern technology.

The government aims to gradually reduce import dependence. Forecasts for 2026 suggest imports could decline to 90 thousand tons, while domestic production may rise to 35 thousand tons. By 2027, these figures are projected to reach 85 and 41 thousand tons, respectively, and by 2028 — 80 and 49 thousand tons. However, even with this positive trend, more than half of the vegetable oil consumed in the country will still come from abroad.

The rise in vegetable oil imports underscores Tajikistan’s structural dependence on foreign supplies and the vulnerability of its agro-industrial sector due to raw material shortages. Despite state measures to stimulate local production, the country is expected to maintain high import levels in the coming years — with Kazakhstan remaining a key supplier.