Kazakhstan transported 9.3 million tons of grain by rail in the first eight months of 2026, marking a 13% increase from the 8.2 million tons recorded during the same period last year, Qazinform News Agency reports via the Transport Ministry. The ministry said that the first 1 million tons had already been shipped since the start of the new harvest season.
In August alone, rail grain shipments reached 1.1 million tons, up 35% compared with August 2025, it said. Grain exports also increased significantly. Kazakhstan shipped 7.2 million tons of grain to foreign markets by rail during the first eight months of 2026, a 14% rise from 6.3 million tons a year earlier.
Central Asian countries accounted for the largest share of export shipments, receiving 4.8 million tons, an increase of 37% year on year. Uzbekistan received 3.6 million tons, up 50%, while Tajikistan imported 1 million tons, up 17%. Shipments to Afghanistan reached 655,000 tons, increasing 4.4 times, while China received 558,000 tons, up 33%.
To ensure stable and timely grain transportation, the ministry has established a working group to organize and coordinate rail shipments. “The working group coordinates the activities of all participants in the transportation process and monitors the readiness of railway infrastructure and rolling stock for increased transportation volumes,” the ministry said.
It added that particular attention is being given to ensuring even loading, efficiently organizing railcar movements, and preventing the accumulation and prolonged idle time of railcars at stations. Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan’s vegetable oil exports rose 46%.