Kazakhstan eyes higher grain exports to Morocco

The plans were discussed at the inaugural meeting of the Kazakhstan-Morocco Business Council in Casablanca, where a Kazakh delegation led talks with Moroccan officials and business representatives. The delegation included Asylkhan Dzhuvashev, Chairman of the Board of Kazakhstan's National Company Food Contract Corporation.

During meetings with officials from Morocco's ministries of agriculture, industry and trade, as well as business representatives, the two sides discussed expanding cooperation in the agro-industrial sector and increasing trade in agricultural products.

Dzhuvashev said Kazakhstan's agricultural producers export to more than 80 countries and highlighted the Food Contract Corporation's role as the national grain operator. He added that two consecutive strong harvests had helped lift grain and flour exports, measured in grain equivalent, to a record 15.3 mln mt in the previous agricultural season, while opening new markets in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Wheat exports have emerged as one of the strongest areas of cooperation between the two countries. In May 2025, the Food Contract Corporation shipped its first consignment of food wheat to Moroccan buyers. Together with deliveries by other exporters, total grain shipments to the kingdom reached 161,800 mt, underscoring strong demand for Kazakh agricultural products.

"We see the Kingdom of Morocco not only as a promising market for Kazakhstan's grain exports, but also as a strategic logistics and trade hub for expanding our presence in North and West Africa and strengthening cooperation with international traders, processors and distributors," Dzhuvashev said.

The two sides also discussed investment opportunities, with Kazakhstan expressing interest in attracting Moroccan investment into projects focused on the deep processing of agricultural products.

Officials highlighted opportunities for cooperation in agricultural technologies and the food industry to strengthen food security.

On the sidelines of the business council meeting, the Kazakh delegation held talks with OCP Nutricrops, a subsidiary of OCP Group, a global leader in phosphate fertilizer production. The two sides discussed opportunities for cooperation and potential joint projects.

Morocco is Kazakhstan's largest trading partner in Africa. Bilateral trade rose 68% in 2025 to $461.5 million, while trade increased a further 58% in the first four months of 2026 to $167.6 million. Kazakhstan's main exports to Morocco include sulfur, wheat, flaxseed, and pulses.

Morocco imports around 7 mln mt of grain each year, with the European Union, Canada and the United States among its leading suppliers. Kazakhstan has already gained a foothold in the Moroccan market and aims to further expand its agricultural exports to the North African country.

Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan and China are set to deepen cooperation in non-ferrous metals.