Kazakhstan aims to enter top three global vegetable oil exporters by 2027

In 2026, Kazakhstan will commission three new oil refining facilities, according to government representative Aliya Rakhimova. The processing plants will be located in East Kazakhstan, Abai, and Turkestan regions.

Rakhimova shared on her Facebook page that the country’s oil and fat industry is “an example of government policy and production moving in tandem toward a single goal, rather than pulling in different directions.” As a result, Kazakhstan, once an active importer of vegetable oil, has already entered the top 10 global exporters. Last year, the country rose to third place in sunflower meal exports to the European Union and now fully supplies Central Asia with sunflower meal and cake.

The new goal is to enter the top three global vegetable oil suppliers and increase export revenue to $1 billion by 2027. For 2025, exports are expected to reach $840 million, nearly double the 2024 figure.

Global demand for vegetable oil continues to grow: as living standards rise, consumers increasingly prefer it over palm or soybean oil. There is also growing demand for meal and cake for animal feed. The government has expanded oilseed cultivation in recent years, doubling the area to 3.9 million hectares. In North Kazakhstan alone, oilseed cultivation reached 1 million hectares this year, and 500,000 hectares in Akmola. A total of 4.7 million tonnes of oilseeds have already been harvested, including 2.3 million tonnes of sunflower.

The sown area is expected to expand further, with plans to reach 5 million hectares. “Almost 85% of the sunflower grown in the country is processed domestically, and processing is growing rapidly. This year, it increased by 18.7% (807,000 tonnes over 11 months). Next year, three new oil refining facilities will be launched in North Kazakhstan, Abai, and Turkestan regions. Following the rules of successful business, deeper processing will follow, including the production of margarine and other fats,” Rakhimova said.

In a relatively short period, Kazakhstan’s oil and fat industry is moving from expanding the raw material base to scaling up processing and exports. This marks the beginning of a new chapter in strengthening the country’s position in high-value-added export markets, Rakhimova emphasized.

Tags: Kazakhstan, sunseed, sunflower oil