Kazakh Agriculture Ministry: Sunflower acreage to hit record high of 1.4mln ha
This year’s overall crop area in Kazakhstan is estimated at 23.7 million hectares, the country’s Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov said during a government session on Tuesday, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Saparov noted a decrease of 750,000 hectares in wheat cultivation in the past two years, as the state pushes for crop diversification upon the Head of State’s instruction.
The area under forage and oilseed crops will stand at 3.3 million ha this year, with the sunflower acreage to hit a record high of 1.4 million ha, he said.
The minister went on to add that cereals and legumes will be cultivated at 16.6 million ha. “The cotton acreage is expected at 135,000 hectares, including traditional cotton cultivation at 85,000 hectares,” he added.
The Ministry also reported that the acreage using drip irrigation systems will rise by up to 50,000 ha through a joint project of Turkistan social and entrepreneurial corporation and China’s Xinjiang Lihu. According to Saparov, the cotton acreage using drip irrigation systems stood at mere 2,000 ha in 2023.
Kyzylorda region’s area under rice will be decreased by 4,700 ha this year. Kazakhstan also actively adopts water saving technologies at 9,200 hectares and laser technology at 60,000 hectares.
Spring sowing across the country is already complete at 3.7 million hectares, said Saparov, adding that winter crops seeded acreage in 2025 is estimated at 405,700 hectares.
