High prices have reduced sunseed exports from Kazakhstan

Sunseed exports from Kazakhstan in the first half of the 2025/26 season decreased by 12% compared to the same period of the previous marketing year. This dynamics indicates a cooling of external demand against the background of internal price factors.

In February, deliveries amounted to only 8.8 thousand tons (excluding the EAEU countries), which is 2.6 times less than in January. In total, for the first six months of the season, exports reached 115.2 thousand tons, which confirms the downward trend.

The main reason for the decrease in exports was the relatively high cost of sunflower seeds on the domestic market of Kazakhstan, as well as the export duty at the level of 20% of the customs value, but not less than 100 euros per ton. This significantly reduces the competitiveness of Kazakh products in world markets.

Among key importers, the largest reduction was recorded in deliveries to China — by 12%, to 95.4 thousand tons. Exports to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan also decreased significantly. At the same time, shipments to Turkey, on the contrary, increased by 5.8 times, to 6.1 thousand tons. China remains the main buyer, providing about 83% of all exports.

Against the background of these trends, analysts have reduced the forecast for sunflower seed exports from Kazakhstan for the current season by 30 thousand tons – to 205 thousand tons. As of the middle of the marketing year, about 56% of the expected annual export potential has already been realized.

Tags: Kazakhstan, export, sunseed