Kazakhstan’s Agricultural Exports Surge to $7 Billion as Processing Sector Drives Growth
Kazakhstan’s agricultural exports reached $7 billion in 2025, reflecting a 37% increase compared with the previous year, said Yerbol Taszhurekov at a briefing at the Central Communications Service.
Taszhurekov emphasized that the processing of agricultural products has become a key driver of growth in the country’s agro-industrial complex. The government aims to raise the share of processed agricultural products to 70%, in line with national economic development priorities.
A diversification strategy has reshaped the structure of agricultural production. The area planted with wheat decreased by nearly 900,000 hectares, while acreage for legumes rose by 275,000 hectares and oilseeds expanded by over one million hectares, strengthening the raw-material base for processing industries. Alongside growing agricultural output, Kazakhstan’s food processing sector expanded steadily. Total food production reached 3.9 trillion tenge (US$8 billion) in 2025, up 8.1% from 2024.
Production increased across most categories: canned meat (+43%), cereals (+28.7%), processed fruits and vegetables (+27%), butter (+24.8%), vegetable oil (+17.4%), and pasta (+12.5%). Flour production totaled 3.6 million tons, while cheese and cottage cheese rose 13%, and fermented dairy products increased over 8%. Kazakhstan has approximately 90 oilseed processing enterprises with a combined capacity exceeding five million tons, producing 888,800 tons of vegetable oil in 2025, a 17.4% increase year-on-year. The country is also expanding deep grain processing, with three facilities producing starch, gluten, molasses, and bioethanol. In 2025, production included 29,000 tons of corn starch, 28,000 tons of wheat starch, 13,000 tons of gluten, 82,000 tons of molasses, and 21,000 tons of bioethanol.
The meat processing industry encompasses 210 enterprises with a combined capacity of 450,000 tons, while the dairy sector includes 180 enterprises capable of processing around 2.7 million tons. Deep grain processing is among the most promising investment areas. By 2028, Kazakhstan plans to launch new facilities with a total capacity of 5.8 million tons per year, attracting 1.9 trillion tenge (US$3.9 billion) in investments and creating more than 3,300 jobs. These plants will produce higher-value products, including amino acids, syrups, and vitamins.
Growth in processing is also boosting exports. In 2025, exports of processed agricultural products reached $3.6 billion, up 35% from 2024.
Government incentives support the processing sector’s expansion. Enterprises can access preferential loans at 2.5% interest for capital investment and 5% for working capital. The Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund provides loan guarantees covering up to 85% of financing when collateral is insufficient. Investment subsidies have also increased: standard rates are 25%, rising to 40% for priority sectors such as sugar and egg processing, and up to 50% for high-tech manufacturing projects.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, these measures are yielding results. The share of processed agricultural products rose from around 50% in 2024 to approximately 60% in 2025, exceeding earlier targets.
