Kazakhstan Harvests Record Grain Amidst Dry Weather

Kazakhstan has harvested nearly 20 million tons of grain this season, despite facing dry weather conditions in parts of northern and central regions. As of September 29, the country had collected 19.9 million tons from 13.5 million hectares, which represents 83% of its planted area. The average yield stood at 1.47 tons per hectare.

The Agriculture Ministry expects the final harvest to exceed the long-term average, thanks to higher yields compared to previous dry years. In those years, yields often fell to as low as 0.8-0.9 tons per hectare.

Kazakhstan's grain exports have also seen a significant increase, reaching 13.9 million tons from September 2025 through the end of July 2026. This represents a 12.6% year-on-year growth in exports. Uzbekistan remained the largest buyer of Kazakh grain, taking 5.8 million tons, followed by Afghanistan with 2.4 million tons.

Disruptions to grain exports from the Black Sea region could provide additional support for demand for Kazakh grain in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. However, Kazakhstan's competitiveness in more distant markets remains constrained by high transport costs and limited export corridor capacity.