Kazakhstan expands rice exports to Afghanistan and CIS countries
Kazakhstan produced 145,000 tons of rice in January-August 2026, up 18.6% from 122,300 tons in the same period last year, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Bureau of National Statistics.
Domestic rice sales reached 70,500 tons in January-July 2026, up 3.9% year-on-year.
Over the same period, rice exports grew at a much faster pace, rising 25.3% from 70,900 tons to 88,800 tons, while their total value remained unchanged at $24.7 million.
Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan were the main markets for Kazakh rice, with exports in January-July 2026 exceeding imports by 18 times.
Rice imports, meanwhile, fell 70.7% year-on-year, from 16,700 tons to 4,900 tons. Their value declined from $9 million to $3.3 million.
India, Russia, Pakistan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan were the main suppliers of rice to Kazakhstan.
Earlier, Kazakhstan exported 15.5 million tons of grain and flour in grain equivalent during the 2025/2026 marketing year, reinforcing its position as a reliable supplier to the global food market.
