"Food Corporation is shipping another batch of wheat destined for Afghanistan from grain elevators in Kazakhstan's grain-producing regions. The national grain operator had previously shipped 44,000 tons of food-grade wheat to its Central Asian trading partner by rail," the Food Corporation press service reported. 

They explained that Afghanistan is a traditional market for Kazakhstani wheat. The country consumes approximately 9 million tons of wheat annually, while domestic production stands at 4–5 million tons. Afghanistan covers the shortfall through grain imports, creating opportunities to increase supplies of domestic grain. 

Class 3 wheat, grown by farmers in the North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, and Akmola regions, dominates the Food Corporation's exports. Kazakhstani grain is generally in demand among importers due to its high gluten content and excellent baking qualities; it is frequently used to improve flour quality in Central Asian countries. 

In the first eight months of 2026, the Food Corporation shipped 124,000 tons of grain to foreign markets. In addition to Afghanistan, Kazakhstani wheat was supplied to importers in China, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. 

However, reports indicate that the national grain operator is focusing more heavily on the domestic market this year. A key priority remains meeting the needs of domestic processing facilities, as well as livestock and poultry enterprises. Grain supplies fulfilled via requests from regional administrations (akimats) and through exchange trading mechanisms totaled approximately 400,000 tons. 

Furthermore, the Food Corporation has completed the redistribution of grain from the country's northern regions to the Turkistan region. Prior to the start of the mass harvesting campaign, 30,000 tons of wheat were shipped by rail to grain elevators in the south.