BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Kazakhstan's grain exports increased by 13% during the period from September 2025 through June 2026 compared to the same period of the previous marketing season, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport reported, citing data from Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).
"During the period from September 2025 through June 2026, exports of grain and flour in grain equivalent reached 13.1 million tons. This is 13% higher than during the same period of the previous marketing season, when 11.6 million tons were shipped abroad," the ministry said.
The ministry noted that the growth was primarily driven by Kazakhstan's traditional import markets in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
Exports to Uzbekistan increased by 38%, from 3.9 million tons to 5.5 million tons; exports to Kyrgyzstan rose 1.4-fold, from 357,000 tons to 504,000 tons; shipments to Afghanistan climbed by 59%, from 1.4 million tons to 2.2 million tons; and exports to Turkmenistan grew by 37%, from 150,000 tons to 205,000 tons.
"The positive freight transportation statistics confirm strong demand for Kazakhstan's agricultural products and the stable operation of logistics corridors in the southern direction. They also demonstrate the effectiveness of measures aimed at developing export logistics and expanding trade and economic cooperation with foreign partners," the ministry said.
Meanwhile, a source from the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Analytical Department told Trend that a pilot project in Kazakhstan testing modern irrigation technologies is providing a blueprint for a potential regional industry in Central Asia.
"The EDB’s $5.3 million grant project with UNDP and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation will start in Kazakhstan’s southern and eastern agricultural regions, where water stress is acute - including Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, Turkestan and Zhetysu regions, with particular focus on Turkestan and Kyzylorda. These are the areas where the impact of modern irrigation technologies can be measured quickly and visibly," the source stated.
The initiative establishes demonstration sites for modern irrigation systems - plastic pipelines and drip solutions - allowing the Bank and its partners to test technologies, adapt them to local conditions, and assess practical performance. At least 180 specialists will be trained, creating the skilled workforce needed for regional deployment.
"This makes the project a practical proof of concept for future regional production. It will show which technologies work best in local conditions, what technical standards are required, what skills farmers and water-sector specialists need, and how equipment can be installed, operated, and serviced at scale," the source explained.
The representative emphasized that Central Asia currently spends an estimated $140-320 million annually on imported irrigation equipment. By 2040, up to 2 million new units may be needed, creating a potential $426 million per year market for locally produced systems.
"The Kazakhstan-based pilot therefore helps answer a practical industrial question: which technologies can be standardized, produced, installed, and serviced locally at scale," the source noted.
