Kazakhstan to increase linseed crops to 1 mln ha

In 2025, Kazakhstan anticipates expanding the area dedicated to linseed cultivation to 1 million hectares, driven by strong demand, particularly from the European Union. The Grain Union of Kazakhstan provided updated data on linseed exports for the first eight months of the MY 2024/25.

In April, linseed exports from Kazakhstan reached 35.4 thousand tons, a decrease of 13.1 thousand tons compared to March.

“The decline in exports is attributed to low commodity stocks,” explained Yevgeny Karabanov, Head of the Analytics Committee of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan. “However, this season, we are witnessing export growth to nearly all countries, largely due to the low export base from the previous MY, caused by a poor linseed harvest in Kazakhstan in 2023.”

Karabanov noted that linseed cultivation is expected to reach 1 million hectares in 2025, fueled by robust EU demand, where a 20% duty is imposed on Russian linseed, alongside high current prices: EXW 300-305 thousand tenge per ton (588-598 USD per ton).

Starting next year, the EU will increase the duty on linseed from Russia and Belarus to 50%, while Canada’s linseed production in 2025 is projected to remain below 230 thousand tons.

For the first eight months of the MY 2024/25 (August–March), Russian linseed exports to the EU totaled 167 thousand tons, out of the EU’s total linseed imports of 378 thousand tons, representing over 44% of the market. The EU’s annual linseed imports amount to approximately 600 thousand tons.

“Only Kazakhstan is positioned to effectively replace Russian linseed supplies to the EU. The significant increase in Kazakh linseed exports to the EU compared to the previous MY is already evident,” the Grain Union stated.

Russian linseed exports are likely to be redirected to China and Turkey.

Kazakhstan’s linseed export forecast for the MY 2024/25 remains steady at 500 thousand tons.

Tags: linseed, Kazakhstan