Kazakhstan rail grain shipments rise 13% to 9.3 mln tonnes in Jan-Aug

September 15, 2026 at 08:34 AM1 min

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

Kazakhstan transported 9.3 million tonnes of grain by rail in January-August 2026, up 13% from 8.2 million tonnes a year earlier, the Transport Ministry reported. Export shipments rose 14% to 7.2 million tonnes, with Central Asia taking 4.8 million tonnes. The ministry has set up a working group to coordinate grain rail transport during the new harvest season.

Key Facts

Kazakhstan moved 9.3 million tonnes of grain by rail in January-August 2026, a 13% increase from 8.2 million tonnes in the same period of 2025.
Rail exports of grain reached 7.2 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2026, up 14% from 6.3 million tonnes a year earlier.
Central Asian countries received 4.8 million tonnes of Kazakh grain by rail, 37% more than in the same period last year.
Uzbekistan took 3.6 million tonnes of grain, up 50%, while Tajikistan received 1 million tonnes, up 17%.
In August 2026 alone, rail grain shipments totaled 1.1 million tonnes, 35% higher than in August 2025.

Export Destinations

Central Asia accounted for the bulk of export rail shipments at 4.8 million tonnes, a 37% rise from the previous year. Uzbekistan was the largest destination with 3.6 million tonnes, up 50% year-on-year. Tajikistan received 1 million tonnes, an increase of 17%. Afghanistan imported 655,000 tonnes, 4.4 times more than in the same period of 2025. China took 558,000 tonnes, up 33% from the previous year.

Coordination Measures

The Transport Ministry has formed a working group to organize and coordinate grain shipments by rail. The group oversees readiness of rail infrastructure and the wagon fleet for higher volumes. It focuses on even loading, efficient wagon movement, and preventing congestion and idle time at stations.