Kazakhstan’s grain exports to Afghanistan rise 4.4-fold in eight months

Kazakhstan’s grain exports to Afghanistan rose 4.4 times in the past eight months to 655,000 tonnes, figures announced by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Transport Minister Zhanibek Tazhanov at a cabinet meeting in the country.

According to Tazhanov, total grain transport by rail reached 9.3 million tonnes during this period, up 13% compared with the same period in 2025. Of this, 7.2 million tonnes were transported for export and 2.1 million tonnes for domestic consumption.

He said Kazakhstan’s grain shipments to Central Asian countries increased by 37%, to China by 34%, and through Russian ports by 9%. Exports of compound livestock feed also rose 38% to 2.6 million tonnes.

In the agricultural sector, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Azhat Sultanov previously said the country plans to establish 15 new vegetable storage centres with a combined capacity of 129,000 tonnes by the end of 2026. Kazakh officials have said these centres could help strengthen the agricultural supply chain and increase the country’s export capacity.