ASTANA – China and Central Asian countries accounted for more than half of Kazakhstan’s exports across 38 fast-growing product categories, as the country expands agricultural processing and increases shipments of higher value-added goods, according to the Bureau of National Statistics.
Photo credit: Atameken Business
Kazakhstan exported $913.9 million worth of these products to China, representing 27.4% of total exports across the selected categories. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan purchased another $825.7 million or 24.8%. Russia accounted for 13.5%, while other Eurasian Economic Union members received 10.4%.
Some export categories remain heavily dependent on individual markets. China purchased 97.8% of Kazakhstan’s exported animal feed, while Russia accounted for 92.5% of tire exports, 75.5% of seamless steel pipes and 69.9% of ice cream shipments, reported Еnergyprom.kz.
Agricultural processing is becoming an important driver of export growth. In January-August, Kazakhstan’s processed agricultural exports reached $3.04 billion, increasing 35.1% year on year. Processed goods accounted for 54.1% of the country’s total agricultural export value, reported the Agriculture Ministry on Nov. 1.
Grain and oilseed processing contributed significantly to the growth. Flour exports reached 1.38 million tons, worth approximately $400 million, up 23% in volume and 36% in value. Exports of sunflower, safflower and cottonseed oils increased 49% to $673 million, while rapeseed and mustard oil shipments grew 2.3 times to $90 million.
Other agricultural exports also rose sharply. Beef exports increased 78% to $164 million, while animal feed meal exports rose 61% in value to $578 million.
Kazakhstan is also expanding its domestic processing capacity. Six major investment projects worth approximately $4 billion, with a combined annual processing capacity of 5.8 million tons, are planned or underway. They are expected to support the production of starch, gluten, amino acids and bioethanol.
The projects aim to reduce reliance on raw material exports, strengthen domestic production chains and enhance the competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s products in international markets.
