Kazakhstan Seeks Morocco as Gateway to Africa's Wheat Market

Kazakhstan is looking to use Morocco as a gateway to expand its wheat exports to North and West Africa. The strategy was discussed during the inaugural Kazakhstan, Morocco Business Council meeting held in Casablanca on July 21.

According to Asylkhan Dzhuvashev, Chairman of the state-owned grain company Prodcorporation, Morocco is seen not only as a promising market for Kazakh grain but also as a strategic platform for accessing other African markets. The two countries intend to combine Morocco’s port infrastructure with Kazakhstan’s transport corridors to facilitate trade.

In 2025, Kazakhstan exported $108 million worth of wheat to Africa, with 65% of shipments going to Algeria, 32% to Morocco, and the remainder to Egypt. Despite this growth, Africa accounted for only 6.75% of Kazakhstan’s total wheat export revenue, highlighting significant room for expansion.

North Africa remains one of the world’s largest wheat-importing regions, with countries in the region expected to import nearly 29.8 million tons of wheat in the 2026/27 MY, making it the world's third-largest wheat import market after Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.