The intense heat and drought that has affected virtually all regions of Kazakhstan this summer will not affect the 2026 harvest, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov stated at a government briefing today. He noted that "we have no widespread concerns about losing part of the harvest," according to the APK News agency.
The ministry representative noted that crop monitoring was conducted last week in the main grain-growing regions. Rains in the northern regions—Kostanay and most of the North Kazakhstan regions—mitigated the impact of the drought.
"Currently, 96% of crops are in good or satisfactory condition. There are virtually no damaged crops," Sultanov said.
He also added that additional crop monitoring will be conducted in the Karaganda and Akmola regions closer to the start of the harvest.
"In the Akmola region, part of the region is experiencing drought. The same situation is observed in the Karaganda region. We will monitor the situation there. The results will be clear closer to the harvest," Azat Sultanov said.
He acknowledged, however, that heat is observed in virtually all regions.
"Indeed, current meteorological conditions indicate heatwaves across most of Kazakhstan. However, in the southern regions, where the main irrigated areas are located, there are no problems. Water supplies are on schedule. Therefore, there is no need to worry about the harvest on irrigated lands," the deputy minister said.
Azat Sultanov also clarified that domestic farmers were prepared for the dry conditions. They used drought-resistant seeds and mineral fertilizers during the growing season. All this helps prevent crop losses.
As reported, the intense heat and drought have triggered a negative scenario for crop development in Kazakhstan's grain-growing regions. The Grain Union reported that some crops are in a depressed state. This situation creates uncertainty regarding grain yield expectations.