In brief
Kazakhstan announced a 2026 grain harvest of 24.3 million tonnes, a 15‑year high, according to its Ministry of Agriculture. Grain exports in the first half of the year climbed 9 % to 1.657 million tonnes, and over two marketing years the country moved 15.5 and 16 million tonnes of grain and flour‑equivalent products, both record highs since independence. The figures underscore sustained agricultural growth and the country’s growing role as a trade partner.
Almaty, Oct. 30 – The Kazakhstan Ministry of Agriculture announced that the country harvested 24.3 million tonnes of grain during the 2026 campaign, a figure that represents the highest yield in fifteen years, according to Xinhua. The ministry noted that only two previous years have surpassed this output.
In a statement released on Friday, the ministry highlighted that the 2026 harvest surpassed the 2009 peak of 25 million tonnes and the 2010 record of 24.8 million tonnes, which were the only two years with larger volumes in the past decade and a half.
Meanwhile, the national railway operator Kazakhstan Temir Zholy reported that grain exports reached 1.657 million tonnes between September and October 19, 2026, an increase of 9 % compared to the same period the previous year.
The 9 % rise in exports was attributed to stronger demand from regional partners and a favorable shipping schedule enabled by Kazakhstan’s expanding rail infrastructure.
Over the last two marketing years—defined as September 2024 to August 2025 and September 2025 to August 2026—the ministry recorded exports of 15.5 million tonnes and 16 million tonnes, respectively, in grain and flour equivalent.
Both figures surpassed previous yearly totals recorded since the country’s independence in 1991, according to the ministry’s data releases.
The ministry emphasized that the growth in grain exports is linked to its sustained high yields and the country’s ability to meet the demands of both domestic and international markets.
Officials from the agriculture sector pointed to improved seed quality, advanced cultivation techniques, and government support programs as key contributors to the 2026 harvest success.
The export figures are expected to create further opportunities for Kazakhstan to strengthen ties with long‑time partners such as China, Russia, and Turkey, while diversifying its export portfolio in Europe and the Middle East.
As the country continues to invest in agriculture and logistics, analysts predict that the 2026 harvest will set a new benchmark for Central Asian grain output and solidify Kazakhstan’s position as a leading grain producer in the region.