Kazakhstan's exports of finished and processed goods continue to grow, with shipments across 38 of the fastest-growing product categories surging 60.5% to $3.3 billion in January–August 2026. Sunflower oil, animal feed, and wheat flour accounted for the largest export values, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing EnergyProm.
According to analysts, processed goods such as vegetable oil, flour, animal feed, fertilizers, and tobacco products are becoming increasingly prominent in Kazakhstan's exports alongside traditional commodities such as oil, grain, and metals. Data from Kazakhstan's Bureau of National Statistics shows that the country's total merchandise exports reached $60.4 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 19.5% from $50.5 billion a year earlier.
Excluding agricultural raw materials, fuels, ores, and metals, analysts identified 109 categories of finished and processed goods with exports of at least $10 million each. Their combined exports reportedly increased by 18%, with 38 categories recording growth of 30% or more.
Exports across these 38 categories rose by 60.5%, from $2.1 billion to $3.3 billion, accounting for 5.5% of Kazakhstan's total exports and 12.7% of their overall growth. Sunflower oil led the group, with exports rising 48.5% to $672.8 million, followed by animal feed, up 60.8% to $577.6 million, and wheat flour, which increased 36% to $400 million.
Among categories with exports exceeding $50 million, tobacco products recorded the fastest growth, surging 401.5% to $50.6 million. Exports of seamless steel pipes climbed 262.4% to $66.2 million, while rapeseed oil exports rose 127.7% to $90.4 million. Four other categories, including canned vegetables, railway locomotives, styrene polymers, and cotton yarn, saw their combined exports increase from $8.4 million to $69.5 million.
China emerged as the largest market for Kazakhstan's 38 fastest-growing export categories, with shipments totaling $913.9 million, or 27.4% of the total. Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, followed with $825.7 million, accounting for 24.8%.
Russia accounted for another 13.5%, or $449.4 million, while exports to other Eurasian Economic Union members — Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan — reached $345.3 million, representing 10.4% of the total. Some products were heavily dependent on individual markets.
China purchased 97.8% of Kazakhstan's animal feed exports, while Russia was the main destination for tires (92.5%), seamless steel pipes (75.5%), ice cream (69.9%), and cosmetics (68.9%). Uzbekistan accounted for 43.3% of sunflower oil exports, while Kyrgyzstan purchased 49.4% of exported cigars and cigarettes.