Five wheat and corn processing projects with a capacity of 4.8 million tons of grain per year will be launched in Kazakhstan by 2028, according to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Currently, Kazakhstan annually processes over 510,000 tons of grain into highly processed products. The country has three specialized plants producing starch, gluten, molasses, bioethanol, and other high-value-added products.
By the end of 2025, enterprises in the industry will have produced 152,100 tons of starch products, including 57,100 tons of starch, 12,700 tons of gluten, and 82,100 tons of molasses, as well as 21,200 tons of bioethanol.
To fulfill the President's instructions and significantly increase grain processing volumes by 2028, Kazakhstan plans to implement five major investment projects for wheat and corn processing with a total capacity of 4.8 million tons of grain per year. The total investment is estimated at approximately $2.6 billion. The projects will create approximately 3,300 new jobs.
Implementation of these initiatives will significantly increase the output of high-value-added products, expand the production of amino acids, syrups, vitamins, and bio-ingredients, improve labor productivity, and increase the export of non-commodity agricultural products.
The products will be primarily targeted at foreign markets, including the United States, Europe, China, India, the CIS, the Middle East, and Africa, which fully aligns with the goal of expanding the geography of Kazakhstan's exports.
Key projects include the construction of a plant in the Kostanay region with a capacity of 415,000 tons of processed wheat per year, corn processing plants in the Turkestan and Zhambyl regions, and new production facilities in Astana and the Akmola region focused on the production of starch, gluten, bioethanol, and amino acids.
It is noted that advanced grain processing is viewed as a key element in the agricultural sector's transition from a raw materials-based model to the production of competitive, high-value-added products.
"The President has set a strategic goal of becoming one of the top ten global producers and suppliers of advanced grain processing products within ten years. To this end, the government is implementing a set of systemic measures aimed at stimulating investment, modernizing production facilities, and expanding the industry's export potential," the Ministry of Agriculture emphasized.