Uzbekistan pushes Kazakhstan and Russia out of Afghanistan’s flour market

Uzbekistan has significantly strengthened its position in Afghanistan’s wheat flour market, displacing Kazakh and Russian suppliers. In 2025, the country exported around 1.6 mln tons of flour worth $441.7 mln to five countries, with Afghanistan accounting for 99.9% of total shipments. This was reported by Yevgeny Gan, Chairman of the Board of Founders of the Grain Processors Union of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan has suffered the greatest losses from intensifying Uzbek competition. In 2025, its flour exports to Afghanistan declined by 200 thsd tons compared with the previous year. At the same time, Uzbek flour mills rely heavily on Kazakh wheat, creating a trade chain in which Kazakhstan supplies the raw material, Uzbekistan processes it, and the finished product is exported to the Afghan market.

Uzbekistan’s key competitive advantage lies in logistics. The absence of transit tariffs allows local producers to save tens of dollars per ton on transportation. As a result, Uzbek flour enjoys a price advantage even when produced from imported Kazakh grain, while Kazakh processors are gradually losing their traditional export market.

Growing competition is also creating additional challenges for Russian exporters, as Afghanistan becomes a less reliable sales destination. Against this backdrop, Russian suppliers are expanding sales to China and seeking to establish a stronger presence in markets where Turkish exporters are losing ground. The situation highlights the growing importance of logistics costs and processing capacity in competition for Central Asian markets.

Tags: Russia, Kazakhstan, flour, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan