Kazakhstan, Belarus boost agricultural trade by 31%

Kazakhstan's Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov held bilateral talks with Belarusian Minister of Agriculture and Food Yuri Gorlov on the sidelines of the 7th meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union's Council on Agro-Industrial Policy, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Ministry of Agriculture.

photo: QAZINFORM

In 2025, agricultural trade between Kazakhstan and Belarus reached $365 million, up 31% from the previous year. The upward trend continued in 2026, with trade rising by a further 18% between January and May.

Kazakhstan is also seeking to diversify its agricultural exports and increase the share of processed products, which currently account for more than 51% of the sector's exports. The country aims to expand supplies of higher value-added products to Belarus, including sunflower and safflower oils, processed foods, grains and oilseeds such as rapeseed, sunflower, and flax.

Saparov said Kazakhstan has the raw materials, production capacity and export potential needed to ensure stable supplies to the Belarusian market, while Gorlov expressed interest in expanding cooperation in promising areas of the agricultural sector.

The talks also covered crop production, with the sides discussing greater exchange of expertise in breeding and seed production, modern agricultural technologies, digital solutions and innovation. Livestock farming was also identified as a promising area, with Kazakhstan ready to share its experience in beef cattle production.

The country has developed modern feedlots with capacities of up to 50,000 head and is expanding a network of industrial facilities capable of holding 10,000 or more head at a time.

Practical cooperation between the two countries is coordinated through the joint Kazakh-Belarusian working group on agriculture.

Earlier in the day, Saparov also met with Erlis Akunbekov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, on the sidelines of the EAEU Council on Agro-Industrial Policy meeting in Almaty.