Kazakhstan’s agricultural exports rose sharply during the first four months of 2026, although the government’s full-year target points to much slower growth over the remainder of the year.
Exports of agricultural and processed food products reached $3 billion in January-April, up 36% from $2.2 billion during the same period of 2025, according to figures presented by Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov. The government expects the total to reach $7.2 billion by the end of 2026.
More than half of last year’s export earnings, or $3.6 billion, came from processed agricultural products rather than raw commodities. The ministry aims to strengthen that trend by increasing the share of higher value-added food products in total agricultural exports.
Food production increased by 14.7% during the first six months of 2026. The government aims to raise processing rates for six key product groups – meat, milk, oilseeds, corn, rice, and buckwheat – from 64% in 2025 to 70% this year.
The strong performance followed two years of near-record grain production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that Kazakhstan will export a record 11 million metric tons of wheat during the 2025-26 marketing year, after shipments rose by more than 30% during its first six months. It forecasts wheat exports falling to 7.5 million metric tons in 2026-27 as production returns toward average levels after two unusually strong harvests.
The figures underline the continued importance of grain to Kazakhstan’s agricultural exports, despite the government’s efforts to increase sales of processed food products.
The ministry says the government’s priorities remain improving sector efficiency and increasing production of value-added agricultural goods.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan increased revenues from processed agricultural exports by more than one-third in 2025. Agricultural exports to Iran nearly doubled, rising 97% to $238.5 million, although grain accounted for $225.3 million of that total.
Agricultural trade with Turkey also increased by 25% during 2025, although the figure covers both Kazakh exports and imports from Turkey.
