Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s leading grain producer, is broadening its export markets to include Africa. The national grain operator, Food Contract Corporation, has reached preliminary agreements to supply 300,000 tons of food wheat to Morocco and other North African countries by the end of the current marketing season, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
More than 200,000 tons of wheat have already been contracted for shipment to African markets. The Corporation’s export strategy emphasizes market diversification, prioritizing the European Union, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Southeast Asia, and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.
Kazakhstan’s traditional grain buyers include Central Asian states, China, and Turkey. To facilitate broader exports, the country is prepared to transport grain via the Azov, Black, and Baltic Sea ports.
In 2024, Kazakhstan harvested 26.7 million tons of grain, its largest yield in 13 years, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The country exported 8.1 million tons of grain last year, including between 6.5 and 7.5 million tons of wheat. For the 2025 season, Kazakhstan aims to export approximately 12 million tons of newly harvested grain.
Efforts to secure new markets are ongoing, with negotiations focused on increasing agricultural exports to Azerbaijan, China, Iran, North Africa, and EU countries, as well as to Uzbekistan and Georgia, through access points at Black and Baltic Sea ports.
