Low-yield year expected in Kazakhstan due to insufficient snow cover

Farmers in several regions of Kazakhstan are reporting a very light snow cover this year, which may negatively affect the upcoming harvest, according to APK News. Viktor Aslanov, Chairman of the Union of Field Crops of Kazakhstan, stated that the next season could bring either localized droughts or dry conditions across large areas of the country.

“Our assumptions are confirmed by satellite images. Only 70% of Kazakhstan’s fertile lands have snow cover between 10 and 30 cm. A bigger factor is autumn moisture recharge. The autumn was very dry — only the north of Akmola region, the south of North Kazakhstan, and a small part of Kostanay region received any significant precipitation. The south and west are experiencing a substantial moisture deficit,” Aslanov noted.

Insufficient autumn moisture means pastures have already received less water, and even if additional snowfall occurs in February or March, it cannot fully compensate. This creates risks for crop yields, especially for cereals and oilseeds.

The Union’s experts predict a weak harvest for 2026, considering the combination of low snow cover and autumn precipitation deficits. Similar conclusions were confirmed by scientists at the North Kazakhstan Agricultural Research Station: on fallow fields, snow depth currently does not exceed 6–10 cm, with moisture reserves of only 13–25 mm. On stubble fields of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses, snow depth reaches 15–18 cm, with moisture reserves of 30–40 mm.

Scientists also noted that this situation is abnormal. With insufficient snow, preparatory work on mechanized snow retention on stubble and plowed fields has begun, but the lack of snow on fallow plots complicates these efforts. This poses additional challenges for farmers in planning and securing the upcoming harvest.

Tags: Kazakhstan, crop forecast