ASTANA — Export revenue from Kazakhstan’s oilseed-processing industry has quadrupled over the past four years, reaching $963 million, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said at the Fifth International Fats and Oils Conference (FOC 2026) in Astana on June 5, according to the Prime Minister’s press service.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin. Photo credit: primeminister.kz Opening the event, Zhumangarin said the industry has evolved from a segment of the agricultural sector into a strategically important pillar of Kazakhstan’s economy and a successful example of economic diversification.
“Over just four years, export revenue from Kazakhstan’s oilseed products increased fourfold, from $240 million to $963 million. Production reached a record 1.6 million tons, while the industry accounted for 27% of the country’s processed agricultural exports,” he said.
According to Zhumangarin, the sector’s growth reflects government efforts to support domestic processing, attract investment and expand value-added production. The industry’s expansion has also contributed to broader agricultural development through increased cultivation of oilseed crops, higher farm incomes, new jobs and improvements in transport and export infrastructure, he added.
Kazakhstan has emerged as a significant player in global vegetable oil markets. The country currently ranks sixth worldwide in sunflower oil exports and is the second-largest supplier of sunflower oil to China. Kazakhstan is also among the leading exporters of sunflower meal to the European Union and supplies most of Central Asia’s demand for oilseed products.
Despite the recent growth, officials say the country aims to move beyond its status as a major exporter and become one of the world’s leading producers and processors of oilseed products. To support that goal, the government has adopted a roadmap to develop oilseed product exports through 2028.
The strategy aims to increase annual export revenue to more than $1.5 billion while strengthening Kazakhstan’s position among the world’s largest sunflower oil exporters. Planned measures include expanding acreage devoted to high-margin oilseed crops, improving yields through modern agricultural technologies, encouraging investment in deeper processing and upgrading transport and logistics infrastructure.
Industry representatives highlighted recent advances in export logistics that have opened new international markets. Yadikar Ibragimov, chairman of the National Association of Processors of Kazakhstan, said vegetable oil was transferred directly onto a seagoing vessel at the Port of Aktau for the first time in 2026, creating new export opportunities through the Caspian Sea corridor.