Kazakhstan Rail Freight Hauls Record 1.4 Million Tons of Grain in December 2024, Exports Surge 78%

Export Surge Drives Volume Higher

Export freight accounted for the bulk of the growth, reaching 1.1 million tons and representing a 78% jump year-on-year. Domestic transportation also climbed, adding 23% compared to December 2023, to surpass 1 million tons for the month.

Central Asian buyers were the primary beneficiaries of the export surge. Grain deliveries to Uzbekistan rose 47%, Tajikistan imports climbed 58%, Kyrgyzstan received 14% more, and Turkmenistan took in 5% additional volume. The resumption of Azerbaijani imports contributed an additional 101,000 tons to the tally.

New Routes and Established Corridors Both Expand

China increased its intake of Kazakh grain by 6%, while shipments to Afghanistan surged 35%. The most dramatic routing shift was toward maritime terminals: transport through Black Sea ports tripled compared to December 2023, and volumes to Baltic terminals quadrupled, reflecting intensified competition among exporters seeking alternative export outlets beyond traditional overland routes.

Traffic through the Caspian port of Aktau to Iran also accelerated dramatically, posting a thirtyfold increase over the prior year, though from a low base. Black Sea corridor freight for the full September–December marketing year grew 39% year-on-year, while Baltic deliveries doubled.

Full Season Outlook Strengthens

Across the first four months of the 2024/25 marketing year (September through December), Kazakhstan's railways carried more than 5 million tons of new-crop grain — a 50% increase over the same span in 2023. Of that total, exports represented roughly 57%, or close to 4 million tons. Among Central Asian partners, Uzbekistan took 45% more grain than the prior year, Tajikistan 57% more, and Kyrgyzstan 19% more. China-bound shipments rose 2% year-on-year, while Afghanistan received 51% more Kazakh grain over the four-month window.