Kazakhstan harvests nearly 20 mln tons of grain despite dry weather

As of September 29, Kazakhstan had harvested 19.9 mln tons of grain from 13.5 mln ha, or 83% of the planted area. The average yield stood at 1.47 t/ha, while the Agriculture Ministry expects the final harvest to exceed the long-term average.

During the season, parts of northern and central Kazakhstan faced insufficient rainfall and high temperatures. However, current yields remain well above levels seen in previous dry years, when they often fell to 0.8–0.9 t/ha.

Exports of grain and flour in grain equivalent reached 13.9 mln tons from September 2025 through the end of July 2026, up 12.6% year-on-year. Uzbekistan remained the largest buyer with 5.8 mln tons, while shipments to Afghanistan reached 2.4 mln 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.

At the same time, Kazakhstan is reducing the share of wheat in its crop structure and expanding oilseed area. As of September 29, 2.4 mln tons of oilseeds had been harvested, while the final crop is expected to exceed 5 mln tons.

Tags: weather conditions, Kazakhstan, grain, drought