Zhumangarin orders tariff review as Kazakhstan inflation holds at 10.2%

August 17, 2026 at 07:32 PM2 min

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Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin ordered the Committee on Regulation of Natural Monopolies to revise tariff adjustment parameters following a government meeting on inflation. Annual inflation stood at 10.2%, with some regions above the national average, and monthly food inflation slowed to 0.4% in July. Socially significant food products recorded monthly deflation of 0.3%, bringing their price index since the start of the year to 1.6%.

Key Facts

Annual inflation in Kazakhstan stood at 10.2% in July 2026, with regional rates exceeding the national average.
Zhumangarin instructed the Committee on Regulation of Natural Monopolies to revise tariff adjustment parameters to account for their potential contribution to inflation.
Monthly food inflation slowed to 0.4% in July, down 0.2 percentage points from June, while socially significant food products registered 0.3% deflation.
Paid services prices rose 110.1% in healthcare and 105.5% in communications from December 2025 to July 2026.
Kazakhstan produced 77,000 tonnes of sugar in January–June 2026, including 9,000 tonnes of beet sugar and 68,000 tonnes of cane sugar.

Tariff and Inflation Response

At an inflation stabilization meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, officials reviewed price trends, forecasts, and response measures across multiple markets. Annual inflation stood at 10.2%, with several regions recording rates above the national average. Zhumangarin instructed the Committee on Regulation of Natural Monopolies to revise tariff adjustment parameters considering their potential contribution to inflation. The instruction follows scenarios considered for further inflation dynamics that included possible increases in tariffs on regulated goods and services. Changes to pricing rules on socially significant markets took effect at the end of July.

Food and Service Prices

Monthly food inflation in July slowed to 0.4%, down 0.2 percentage points from June. Socially significant food products recorded 0.3% deflation, lowering their price index since the start of the year to 1.6%. First Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration Aizhan Bizhanova said the ministry aims to ensure monthly food inflation slows by an average of 0.2 percentage points. Among paid services, healthcare prices rose 110.1% and communication prices 105.5% from December 2025 to July 2026. Bread product price growth since the start of the year remained below forecast, supported by discounted electricity for producers of socially significant food products.

Sugar and Dairy Markets

Kazakhstan has four sugar factories with combined daily capacity of 8,700 tonnes for sugar beet and 2,400 tonnes for cane raw sugar. Sugar production reached 77,000 tonnes in January–June 2026, including 9,000 tonnes of beet sugar and 68,000 tonnes of cane sugar. Given import dependence, Kazakhstan approved duty-free imports of up to 100,000 tonnes of raw sugar this year. Zhumangarin instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to hold a separate meeting with sugar industry representatives to develop additional price stabilization measures. Dairy prices remained almost unchanged in July after a 0.7% rise in June; the ministry was also ordered to meet raw milk producers and study cost factors.