Kazakhstan sets grain, flaxseed export records in H1 2026

July 23, 2026 at 07:20 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan's grain exports by rail rose 11% year-on-year to 5.6 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, while flaxseed exports exceeded 1 million tonnes for the first time in history. The record flaxseed shipments were driven by higher EU import duties on Russian flax, which reached 50% in 2026.

Grain Export Growth

Kazakhstan's national railway company KTZ reported that total rail freight reached 157.1 million tonnes in H1 2026, with agricultural products among the fastest-growing segments. Grain shipments by rail totaled 7.3 million tonnes, up 10% year-on-year, while grain exports specifically rose 11% to 5.6 million tonnes. Processed grain product exports also increased 20% to 1.1 million tonnes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, total grain and flour exports in grain equivalent from September 2025 to July 17, 2026 reached 13.5 million tonnes, up 12.5% from the previous season's 12 million tonnes.

Key Export Markets

Central Asian countries and Afghanistan remained the primary destinations for Kazakh grain. Exports to Uzbekistan grew 37% to 5.6 million tonnes, to Kyrgyzstan rose 1.4 times to 504,000 tonnes, to Afghanistan increased 59% to 2.2 million tonnes, and to Turkmenistan climbed 34% to 210,000 tonnes. The data underscores Kazakhstan's role as a regional grain supplier.

Flaxseed Record

Flaxseed exports over the first nine months of the current marketing year surpassed 1 million tonnes, 2.38 times more than the same period last season and double the total for the entire previous marketing year. China accounted for 40% of purchases and Belgium for 28%, together making up 68% of total flaxseed exports. Other EU buyers included Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Estonia, and Italy. The Grain Union of Kazakhstan attributed the surge to the EU's increase of import duties on Russian flax to 20% in 2025 and 50% in 2026.