ASTANA — Kazakhstan has officially been recognized as free of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) across its livestock sector, becoming the only country in Central and Eastern Asia with the designation, a development expected to strengthen the country’s agricultural exports and international market access. Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov announced the achievement during a June 5 government meeting on agricultural development chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov in the North Kazakhstan Region.
“The status contributes to strengthening the export potential of Kazakhstan’s livestock products,” Saparov said.
The designation is expected to boost livestock exports and expand access to international markets. Photo credit: primeminister.kz
The status was granted during the 93rd general session of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) held in Paris in May. The recognition marks a significant milestone for Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector, which authorities view as a key driver of economic diversification and rural development. Prime Minister Bektenov said agriculture remains a strategic priority for the government, citing its role in food security, economic growth and the improvement of living standards in rural communities.
The announcement comes as Kazakhstan continues expanding agricultural production and exports. According to the Agriculture Ministry, crops were planted on 23.8 million hectares this year, up 180,000 hectares from 2025. The government has also continued efforts to diversify crop production by increasing the cultivation of high-value crops, including oilseeds and fodder crops.
Livestock production has also shown steady growth. During the first four months of 2026, Kazakhstan produced 338,000 tons of meat, a 3.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Beef production rose by 6.1%, while lamb and horse meat output increased by 8.1% and 3.8%, respectively.
Officials attribute part of the sector’s progress to investments in veterinary infrastructure and animal health programs. Over the past two years, local authorities have built approximately 600 veterinary facilities valued at 9.1 billion tenge ($17.7 million), while state veterinary laboratories have been modernized.
The government has allocated 66.2 billion tenge ($129 million) from the national budget to support veterinary infrastructure and services.
The livestock milestone comes amid broader growth in Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector. Processed products now account for more than 51% of agricultural exports, reflecting the country’s efforts to move up the value chain and reduce reliance on raw commodity exports.
Investment in the agricultural sector reached 1.6 trillion tenge ($3.1 billion), exceeding last year’s level. Over the past two years, Kazakhstan commissioned 540 new agricultural production facilities, including livestock complexes, dairy farms, grain storage facilities, vegetable warehouses, poultry farms and food-processing plants.
Officials say the latest recognition is expected to improve Kazakhstan’s competitiveness in global agricultural markets and support the country’s ambition to expand exports of livestock and processed food products.
