Kazakhstan heads for a new lentil export record

Kazakhstan continues to expand its lentil exports and is on track to set a new all-time record in the 2025/26 marketing year. According to the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, lentil exports are now forecast at 470,000 tons, up by 30,000 tons from the previous estimate.

In May, the country exported 24,000 tons of lentils, up 14% from April. During the first nine months of the marketing year (September–May), cumulative exports reached a record 394,900 tons, up 47% year on year and already 20% above the previous full-season record set in 2024/25.

Turkey remained the largest buyer of Kazakh lentils, increasing imports nearly 2.3-fold to 347,100 tons, accounting for about 88% of total exports. China emerged as the fastest-growing destination, importing 20,200 tons compared with just 1,000 tons during the entire previous marketing year.

Kazakhstan also supplied lentils to Afghanistan (7,300 tons), Azerbaijan (3,500 tons), Kyrgyzstan (1,500 tons), as well as smaller volumes to Iran, Poland, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Serbia, Spain, Syria, Jordan, Slovakia and Bulgaria.

According to Grain Union analyst Yevgeny Karabanov, about 84% of the projected annual exports had already been shipped by the end of May. Strong demand from Turkey and rapidly expanding sales to China are expected to drive Kazakhstan to a new record in lentil exports this season.