In October 2025, Kazakhstan exported 854,500 tons of soft and durum wheat (excluding the EAEU), a record for October shipments. Export volumes were 33% higher than in September and 24% higher than in October 2024, according to Evgeny Karabanov, head of the analytical committee of the Kazakhstan Grain Union.
Wheat exports for the first two months of the 2025/26 marketing year (September - October) totaled 1,496,400 tons, 27% higher than the same period last year.
"Active wheat shipments at the beginning of the season are driven by strong demand from traditional buyers in Central Asian countries. There is a trend toward increased demand from major importers for Kazakh wheat compared to the previous marketing year," explained Evgeny Karabanov.
Compared to the first two months of the previous marketing year, wheat exports to the following countries increased:
- Uzbekistan - by 33%
- Kyrgyzstan - by 1.75 times
- Afghanistan - by more than 2 times
- Turkmenistan - by more than 1.9 times
- Azerbaijan - by 5.4 times
In addition, Kazakh wheat was exported to Algeria, Georgia, and Iran, where there were no shipments in September of last year.
However, during this period, exports to Latvia decreased by almost 1.8 times, to Italy by almost 8.5 times, and to Tajikistan by 4%.
"The 17-fold year-on-year decline in wheat exports to China (-68.9 thousand tons) was offset by an increase in feed meal shipments of 406.6 thousand tons," noted Evgeny Karabanov.
He also reported that the Food Corporation continued exporting wheat to Algeria in the new season, shipping 6,200 tons in October.
Wheat imports in September totaled 55,700 tons, primarily from Russia. The Grain Union forecasts total wheat imports in 2025/26 at 600,000 tons.
The Grain Union increased its forecast for Kazakh wheat exports (soft and hard) this season to 7.4 million tons. This is 400 tons more than the Union forecast last month.