Agriculture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Flaxseed Trade

Kazakhstan Flaxseed Exports Hit Record 1.3 Million Tons

Kazakhstan ended the 2025/2026 marketing year with record flaxseed exports of nearly 1.3 million metric tons, 2.5 times the previous season's volume. The country accounted for 72.5% of flaxseed imports into the European Union (EU) in the 12 months to June 2026, with European tariffs on Russian flaxseed helping Kazakhstan improve its position in the market. "Kazakhstan is the undisputed leader in flaxseed supplies to the EU and the second-largest exporter to China after Russia," said Yevgeny Karabanov, head of the Analytics Committee of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan. Flaxseed, also known as linseed, comes from the flax plant, which is grown for the fibers used to make linen. The seeds are eaten as food, added to animal feed, or pressed for oil used in cooking and industrial products such as paints and varnishes. According to Karabanov, the export total covers September 2025 to August 2026. European Commission data show that the EU imported 686,800 metric tons of flaxseed between July 2025 and June 2026, up 16.8% from the previous 12-month period. Kazakhstan supplied 497,800 metric tons of that total. Karabanov attributes the shift in the European market to higher tariffs on Russian flaxseed, which rose to 20% in 2025 and 50% in 2026. In January 2026, the value of Russian flaxseed exports to the EU fell to €96,500, its lowest level since July 2010. Belgium became the largest European buyer of Kazakhstan's flaxseed, increasing purchases 1.84-fold to 347,100 metric tons. Other European buyers, including Poland and Estonia, also increased their purchases. Outside the EU, China remains Kazakhstan's largest market. Exports there totaled 537,700 metric tons, 2.8 times the previous season's volume. Afghanistan increased its purchases 3.38-fold to 141,400 metric tons. Exports to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey also grew. China and Belgium together accounted for 68.1% of Kazakhstan's total flaxseed exports. Afghanistan, the third-largest buyer, accounted for another 10.9%. In the new season, exports to Europe could face logistical constraints. According to Karabanov, the redirection of Russian grain exports to Baltic ports could increase pressure on rail networks and complicate the transit of Kazakhstan's shipments through Russia. An alternative route through Belarus and Lithuania would be more expensive. Rising transportation costs are already affecting prices in Ghent, Belgium, a major European trading hub for agricultural commodities. Flaxseed prices there have been rising for the past six weeks, he said. Further increases in logistics costs could erode Kazakhstan's price advantage in the European market.

Grain Production

Kazakhstan Grain Harvest Nears 20 Million Tons Despite Dry Weather

Kazakhstan had harvested nearly 20 million metric tons of grain by late September, despite periods of dry and hot weather in parts of the country’s grain belt. The Agriculture Ministry expects the final harvest to exceed the long-term average, while disruption to Russian and Ukrainian exports through the Black Sea has added uncertainty to global wheat supplies. By September 29, farmers had harvested 13.5 million hectares, or 83% of Kazakhstan’s grain-growing area, producing 19.9 million metric tons of grain at an average yield of 14.7 centners per hectare, equivalent to 1.47 metric tons per hectare. Weather conditions varied considerably during the growing season. Parts of northern and central Kazakhstan experienced insufficient rainfall, while high temperatures created additional risks in some areas. However, later assessments by Kazhydromet described spring grain crops across much of the north as generally in good or excellent condition. Deputy Agriculture Minister Azat Sultanov said that under comparable dry conditions in previous years, yields had often fallen to 8-9 centners per hectare. The average recorded by September 29 was considerably higher, although harvesting is still underway in several of the country’s main grain-producing regions. From September 2025 through July 30, 2026, exports of grain and flour in grain equivalent reached 13.9 million metric tons, according to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy data cited by the Agriculture Ministry. That was 12.6% higher than during the same period a year earlier. Uzbekistan remained the largest buyer, importing 5.8 million metric tons, while shipments to Afghanistan reached 2.4 million metric tons. Exports to Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan also increased. Attacks on vessels and port infrastructure have severely disrupted Russian and Ukrainian exports through the Black Sea, pushing buyers in parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa toward alternative suppliers. That may support demand for grain from other exporters, although Kazakhstan’s landlocked location remains a constraint. Transport costs and the capacity of rail and other export corridors have a direct impact on the competitiveness of Kazakh grain in more distant markets. The structure of Kazakhstan’s agricultural production is changing, with less land devoted to wheat and more acreage allocated to oilseeds and other crops. Farmers had harvested 2.4 million metric tons of oilseeds from 2.4 million hectares by September 29. The Agriculture Ministry forecasts a final crop of more than 5 million metric tons. Official statistics put Kazakhstan’s 2025 oilseed harvest at about 4.95 million metric tons. Cotton harvesting is also continuing in southern Kazakhstan, where water availability remains a major constraint. Sultanov said the area of cotton fields using drip irrigation had increased from about 3,000 hectares to 80,000 hectares over the past two years. By September 29, 70,500 metric tons of raw cotton had been harvested, with an average yield of 32 centners per hectare.

Agriculture

Kyrgyzstan China Move Toward Mutual Recognition of Organic Certificates

Kyrgyzstan and China have agreed to begin work on mutual recognition of organic certification systems, in a move that Bishkek hopes will simplify exports of organic agricultural products to China. At present, obtaining an organic certificate in Kyrgyzstan is not enough for a producer to sell a product as organic in China. The agreement was reached on September 17 during talks in Bishkek with a delegation from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, or SAMR. The two sides agreed to establish a joint working group to harmonize their organic standards and technical requirements. Training and internships for Kyrgyz specialists were also discussed. The September 17 announcement described a “principled agreement” rather than a signed mutual-recognition arrangement, so it is too early to speak of the Chinese market being opened to Kyrgyz organic products. An organic certificate is only one part of the requirements for exporting food to China. Depending on the product, exporters must comply with separate sanitary requirements covering everything from pests and diseases to processing, packaging, and storage. Overseas food producers and processors may also need to register with Chinese customs through the China Import Food Enterprises Registration system, known as CIFER. In practical terms, mutual recognition could remove one layer of certification, but it would not eliminate other import requirements. Different products are subject to different rules. Approval for Kyrgyz raspberries, for example, does not automatically provide access for beans, honey, or meat. Kyrgyzstan already produces organic goods including beans, apricots, and nuts. Certification could increase their value, but exporters would still need consistent supplies, cold storage where required, and reliable transport across the border. By the end of June 2026, more than 101,000 hectares in Kyrgyzstan were covered by organic production systems. Around 11,400 hectares are cultivated by 11 cooperatives working to international standards, producing goods ranging from cotton and beans to fruit and nuts. Most of the remainder, about 85,300 hectares, falls under a Participatory Guarantee System, or PGS. These lower-cost systems are mainly aimed at local markets and are not automatically recognized abroad. The total area under organic production therefore does not show how much Kyrgyz produce could already be sold in China as organic. A key issue in the negotiations will be which parts of Kyrgyzstan’s certification system China agrees to recognize. By 2029, Kyrgyzstan wants to expand certified organic farmland to about 200,000 hectares and run pilot programs in Issyk-Kul and Naryn to shift more farming toward organic production. The national program also aims for organic products to account for 25% of agricultural production and exports. China has been gradually opening its market to individual categories of Kyrgyz agricultural products. The countries have already signed eight protocols covering products including beans, poultry, wool, and cashmere. Dried fruit exports have begun, while access for several other agricultural products remains under discussion. China has also simplified access for frozen fruit. It removed quarantine-access requirements for imported frozen fruit in August 2024, allowing such products to enter from any country provided other import requirements are...

Food Security

Kyrgyzstan Targets Food Self-Sufficiency by 2030

Kyrgyzstan aims to fully meet domestic demand for key food products through its own production by 2030. For now, the country produces enough potatoes, vegetables, and milk, but imports still cover close to half of its vegetable oil and wheat needs. The government presented its new targets on September 8. According to data for the first half of the year, potato production was almost twice the level of domestic demand, vegetable and melon production was more than double demand, and milk production exceeded domestic requirements by roughly a quarter. The picture is weaker elsewhere. Meat and eggs cover about four-fifths of demand, while flour products and sugar are closer to three-quarters. Domestic vegetable oil meets just 54% of demand, while the figure for fruit and berries is only around 16%. These figures sit awkwardly with claims made earlier in the year. In February, the Ministry of Agriculture said Kyrgyzstan was already self-sufficient in six of nine major food categories, including meat, sugar, and eggs, although its own figures put all three below 100%. Wheat remains particularly sensitive. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), imports cover nearly half of Kyrgyzstan’s wheat requirements for food consumption and the milling industry. In the 2025/26 marketing year, the country was expected to import around 350,000 tons of cereals, with wheat typically accounting for approximately 95% of cereal import requirements. Supplies come mainly from Russia and Kazakhstan, leaving domestic flour and bread prices exposed to harvests, grain prices, export policies, and logistics in both countries. The government plans to expand wheat and oilseed cultivation, establish new orchards, and increase the area of irrigated farmland. It has also called for proposals to expand citrus production. The authorities have also intervened directly in the meat market. After prices rose in 2025, the government imposed price caps on certain types of meat and extended the controls. It has also used temporary restrictions on livestock exports to increase supplies on the domestic market. In a 2024 strategy document, the International Fund for Agricultural Development estimated that Kyrgyzstan depended on imports for about 40% of its overall food requirements. Agriculture employs a significant share of the population, while most farms remain small family-run operations. Reaching the 2030 target will therefore require substantial increases in domestic production of wheat, vegetable oil, and fruit within the next four years.

Agriculture

Weather Boosts Early Kazakhstan Grain Harvest

An unusually hot summer has led to an earlier grain harvest in Kazakhstan. Farmers have already collected 7.7 million tons of grain from roughly a third of the country’s grain-growing area, almost twice as much land as had been harvested at the same point last year. The first batches of wheat are also showing noticeably better quality – an important factor for Kazakhstan’s grain exports to Central Asia and other markets. By this point in 2025, farmers had collected 3.9 million tons of grain, compared with 7.7 million tons this year. The government said in mid-August that warm weather had brought the harvest forward, adding that newer farm machinery and modern farming technology had helped farmers increase the pace. It is still too early to say whether Kazakhstan will repeat its record harvest of 2025. Last year, the country produced more than 27 million tons of grain, including 20.3 million tons of wheat. Expectations for this year had been more cautious. Dry conditions in central and eastern Kazakhstan raised concerns about a smaller crop, and some industry experts suggested production could fall by 15%-20% from last year. The early results, however, suggest the wheat may be of better quality. Of the soft wheat already delivered to grain elevators and tested, 78% has been classified as Grade 3 and another 14% as Grade 4. Grade 5 and ungraded wheat account for 7%. Grade 3 wheat is suitable for flour and bread production. The early figures compare favorably with last year, when 53% of soft wheat was classified in Grades 1-3 and 35% as Grade 4. Gluten levels, another measure of wheat quality, are also strong. Of the wheat tested, 56% has a gluten content above 28%, while another 19% is in the 25%-27% range. That promises to be a boon for exports. Kazakhstan is a major supplier of grain and flour to Central Asia, and also sells to Afghanistan, China, and other markets. A larger share of higher-quality wheat gives exporters more opportunities to sell into higher-value markets. Kazakhstan is also changing what it grows. The government has been reducing the area planted with wheat and encouraging farmers to grow more oilseeds and other more profitable crops. In 2025, the oilseed harvest reached a record of nearly 5 million tons. This year’s oilseed harvest is only just beginning, with 244,000 tons collected so far. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 98% of grain and oilseed crops are currently in good or satisfactory condition. With 35.5% of the grain-growing area harvested so far, the early results point to better wheat quality, but the final size of the crop will depend heavily on the harvest in Kazakhstan’s main grain-producing regions in the north.

Camel Farming

Camel Farming Expands Across Central Asia as Climate Pressures Mount

Camels are gaining renewed economic importance in Central Asia as farmers seek new markets for their milk and governments look for livestock better suited to increasingly dry conditions. In Kazakhstan, camel numbers are rising and producers are developing markets for shubat, a fermented camel milk drink, and powdered camel milk. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, has begun working with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to develop camel husbandry in arid areas. Kazakhstan has more than 322,000 camels, according to government figures for 2026, an increase of 2.4% from the previous year. Most are raised in the vast arid lands in the west and south of the country. Camels are also an important part of Turkmenistan’s livestock sector. The herd numbered about 345,000 animals in 2020. Bactrian camels have traditionally dominated Kazakhstan’s camel herd. They can withstand sharp fluctuations between extreme heat and severe cold. Over the past two decades, Kazakhstan has also seen an increase in one-humped Arvana camels, a breed of Turkmen origin known for high milk productivity. In Turkmenistan, the Arvana is the mainstay of the industry. These camels can produce milk even when grazing on sparse desert pastures, feeding on salt-tolerant vegetation and bitter wormwood that are of little use to many other types of livestock. Milk Brings in the Money Milk offers camel farmers a product that can be sold throughout the year and increasingly processed into higher-value goods. A female Kazakh Bactrian camel can produce up to about 1,750 liters of milk annually, although yields vary considerably between breeds and farming systems. The main product on the domestic market is shubat, but larger producers have also begun processing camel milk for markets far beyond the communities where it is produced. One of the most prominent examples is Daulet-Beket LLP in the Almaty region. When a camel-milk processing plant opened there in 2021, the farm had around 5,000 camels and was producing up to five tons of shubat a day. The plant was designed to produce as much as 30 tons of powdered camel milk a month, with products being shipped to Russia and China. Smaller farms show how strong local demand can also sustain the industry. The Suleymanov family in the Almaty region started with two camels. By the time they were profiled in 2021, their herd had grown to around 70 animals. Sixteen were being milked each day, producing 52 to 53 liters. The family said customers frequently bought their shubat before it even reached Almaty. Camel Farming in Turkmenistan Turkmen state media has also highlighted privately run camel farms. A 2024 report said farmer Serdarkuli Berdyliev in Ahal province kept 320 camels, including 140 females. Average milk yields were around six liters a day. Information about private agriculture in Turkmenistan largely comes through tightly controlled state media. Camel milk production continues to feature in official coverage alongside the country’s long-established herding traditions. Camel wool remains a marketable product, although its market is much smaller than that for milk. In Turkmenistan, it...