harvest - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kazakhstan Reports Record Grain Harvest of 26.7 Million Tons in 2024

Kazakhstan harvested 26.7 million tons of grain in 2024, marking its largest grain yield in 13 years, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The latest figures, published on January 29, slightly revise the previously reported total of 26.5 million tons, gathered from 16.7 million hectares of farmland. Kazakhstan is the largest grain producer and exporter in Central Asia, annually shipping 8 to 9 million tons of grain abroad, including 6.5 to 7.5 million tons of wheat. In 2024, exports reached 8.1 million tons. For the 2025 season, Kazakhstan aims to export approximately 12 million tons of newly harvested grain. While traditional markets such as Central Asia, Afghanistan, China, Turkey, and Italy remain key destinations, Kazakhstan is also expanding into Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia. Kazakhstan has already begun exporting grain from the new harvest, with 3.7 million tons shipped between September and December 25, 2024 - a 54% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Agriculture Agricultural Export harvest Agricultural Produce Wheat export Grain export

Kazakhstan’s New Harvest Grain Exports Surge by 54%

Between September and December 25, 2024, Kazakhstan exported 3.7 million tons of grain from its new harvest - a dramatic 54% increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 2.4 million tons were exported. The announcement was made by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture, citing data from Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railways company responsible for grain transportation. Significant increases were reported across the traditional markets for Kazakh grain: Uzbekistan: Exports grew by 44%, rising from 994,000 tons to 1.427 million tons. Tajikistan: Exports increased by 53%, from 385,000 tons to 589,000 tons. Afghanistan: Exports surged by 52%, from 120,000 tons to 182,000 tons. Kyrgyzstan: Exports rose by 22%, from 59,000 tons to 72,000 tons. Iran has emerged as a highly promising new market. Exports to Iran (via the Caspian port of Aktau) soared by a staggering 30.2 times, from just 14,000 tons to 435,000 tons. Kazakhstan harvested over 26.5 million tons of grain from 16.7 million hectares in 2024, as previously reported by The Times of Central Asia. The country plans to export approximately 12 million tons of the new harvest to both traditional markets - Central Asia and Afghanistan - and new ones, including Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia. China is also seen as a key growth market. In 2023, Kazakhstan exported 1.43 million tons of cereals to China - a 5.5-fold increase from the previous year. Kazakhstan’s grain export surge underscores the country’s growing role as a major supplier to both regional and global markets, bolstered by strong demand and strategic diversification efforts.

Kazakhstan Begins Export of New Harvest Grain

Kazakhstan has begun exporting grain from the new harvest, which totaled 26.6 million tons this year, 56% higher than in 2023. In September-October, Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), transported 1.8 million tons of grain for export, 48% more than in the same period last year (1.2 million tons). During the two months, grain exports to Uzbekistan amounted to 738,000 tons (49% more than in September-October 2023), and 298,000 tons were shipped to Tajikistan (a 48% increase). Increasing grain exports were also reported to China, Afghanistan, Iran, and Kyrgyzstan. The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture expects a significant increase in grain exports in the first half of 2025. According to KTZ, Afghanistan is ready to import about 200,000 tons of Kazakh grain, which will be transported via Turkmenistan. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan plans to export about 12 million tons of the new harvest grain to traditional markets—Central Asia and Afghanistan—and new ones, such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia. Uzbekistan remains the primary importer of Kazakh grain, followed by Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and China.

Turkmenistan Continues to Hide Forced Labor in Cotton Fields

Although the season has yet to officially open, cotton harvesting is already underway in Turkmenistan. As reported by Azatlyk correspondents, workers, including budgetary employees in the Lebap province, are being watched by Ministry of National Security (MNS) officers. These officers, tasked with preventing information about forced labor being leaked, have forbidden the use of cell phones in the fields. Turkmenistan has long been criticized for its use of forced labor on cotton plantations, and authorities continue to hide the reality. The increased control by security agencies coincides with a briefing in Ashgabat on measures discussed in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), to eradicate child and forced labor. Despite official bans, including an order issued by Labor Minister Muhammetseyit Sylabov in July this year prohibiting the employment of children under 18, child labor continues in some regions, including Kerki and Chardjev etraps, and teachers confirm that high school students, with their parents' consent, participate in cotton picking. At the same time, cotton pickers complain about underpayment. Employers also repeatedly renege on promised rates of pay and in Lebap, citing the poor quality of the cotton harvested, are known to withhold up to 50% of their workers' salaries, leading to inevitable conflict. Despite orders issued by the authorities to increase pickers' wages in accordance with the state's procurement prices for cotton, the workers' situation shows no sign of improving.

Rice Production on the Rise in Turkmenistan

According to the publication ' Turkmenistan Golden Age', over 8,000 hectares of rice were planted in the north of Turkmenistan this year. In response to a marked increase in the state's purchase price , farmers in the Toshkhovuz region are actively expanding rice cultivation with the greatest volume being grown on two specialized farms in the Saparmurod Turkmanboshi district. Thanks to the rice cleaning enterprise built several years ago in the territory and specialized equipment provided by the renowned brand Satake, high-quality seed material is available to all of the region's rice farms. At the root of this year's harvest are disease-resistant, and excellent-tasting “Nöküs-2” and “Bereket” varieties. Rice cultivation is traditional to northern Turkmenistan. A leader in the field, the Dashoguz province produces over 35,000 tons of different varieties per year. Farmers in the Lebap region planted rice on more than 10,000 hectares in 2023, of which 50,000 tons went to the state, and farmers in Chorjevo harvested over 15 thousand tons from 3,800 hectares.