Kazakhstan increases linseed exports by 62%, shifting shipments toward China

Kazakhstan exported 100.9 thsd tons of linseed in September 2026, up 61.7% compared with the same month last year. Shipments also increased by approximately one-third from August. China remained the main buyer, importing 71.8 thsd tons of Kazakh linseed, accounting for more than 70% of total exports. Year-on-year shipments to China increased almost 2.7 times, highlighting Kazakhstan’s growing dependence on Chinese demand.

Meanwhile, exports to European countries declined significantly. In September, shipments to Poland fell by 44.9% to 2.7 thsd tons, deliveries to Belgium dropped by 81.7% to 2.3 thsd tons, while exports to Germany decreased by 66.7% to just 400 tons. In contrast, Afghanistan doubled its purchases to 13.6 thsd tons, while Uzbekistan increased imports by 123.3% to 6.7 thsd tons. As a result, Asian markets accounted for most of Kazakhstan’s export growth, while European destinations lost part of their share.

One of the main reasons for declining shipments to Europe was logistical restrictions in Russia. Difficulties with Russian grain exports through Azov-Black Sea ports prompted a significant diversion of cargoes to Baltic ports, resulting in severe congestion across the railway network. In October, Russian Railways rejected all transit applications submitted by Kazakh exporters for linseed shipments to Baltic Sea ports. These restrictions could persist through November and December, while alternative routes via Belarus and Lithuania remain more expensive and also face capacity constraints.

Despite a 41.3% expansion in Kazakhstan’s linseed planting area to 1.904 mln hectares, production in 2026 is estimated at just 1.35 mln tons, broadly unchanged from the previous season. Heat and drought negatively affected yields, preventing output from increasing despite the larger cultivated area. Meanwhile, Russia’s linseed production forecast has been lowered from 1.86 mln to 1.75 mln tons. By early November, approximately 1.6 mln tons had been harvested from 93% of the planted area.

Limited access to European transport routes and persistent logistical difficulties are supporting higher prices for Kazakh linseed. On the domestic market, brown linseed is offered at €362–372 per ton EXW, while FCA prices stand at €400–405 per ton. Deliveries to Poland are quoted at €495–500 per ton DAP, while cleaned linseed with 99.95% purity is priced at around €730 per ton DDP Germany. Further market developments will depend on the availability of transit routes through Russia and continued strong demand from China.

Tags: China, Kazakhstan, oilseeds, linseed