ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 22. Kazakhstan has increased imports of grain and meslin by 29 times, from 62,000 tons to 1.8 million tons from 2015 through 2022, Trend reports.
Data from the Kazakhstan Institute of Economic Research shows that exports over the same period increased 1.7 times, from 3.636 million tons to 6.326 million tons.
In addition, potato exports increased significantly from 3,000 tons in 2015 to 242,000 tons in 2022, while imports during the same period fell from 79,000 tons to 53,000 tons.
In 2015, onion imports amounted to 165,000 tons, exports were 44,000 tons, and imports exceeded exports by 3.5 times. In 2022, exports and imports of onions were almost equal, the figures were 188,000 tons for export and 218,000 tons for import.
Crop production is a large branch of the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan, which in 2022 contributed about 61 percent of gross agricultural output. The first place in terms of crops among agricultural crops is occupied by grains, which account for almost 56 percent of the republic’s sown area. Crop production is the basis of agriculture in Kazakhstan. The largest share is occupied by spring wheat, which is sold not only on the domestic market but also on the foreign market. It is also worth noting the prevalence of crops such as rice, buckwheat, barley, oats, millet, and corn.
Significant cultivated areas are allocated for sugar beets and oilseeds (sunflower and rapeseed). Cotton and flax are grown for the textile industry. In addition, crops such as potatoes, apples, melons, and grapes are actively grown.
