BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 5. Kazakhstan's exports of sunflower husk pellets increased 3.56-fold to 63,200 tons in January-September 2026, while export revenues rose 6.15-fold to $3.4 million, according to data from the National Association of Oilseed Processors of Kazakhstan cited by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Europe remains the main destination for these products, which are used as biofuel at power plants. Poland is the largest buyer of Kazakh sunflower husk pellets. In 2025, it accounted for around 98% of Kazakhstan's total exports. Polish thermal power plants use the pellets to generate electricity, with demand from a single large power plant potentially reaching 30,000 tons per month.
Sunflower husk is a by-product of sunflower seed processing at oil mills. Depending on the quality of the raw material, it accounts for 14%-18% of the weight of processed sunflower seeds.
"Today, most medium-sized and large enterprises in Kazakhstan separate sunflower husks during processing. Some of them use the husks in their own boilers to generate process steam, while the surplus is converted into fuel pellets," said Yadykar Ibragimov, Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Oilseed Processors of Kazakhstan.
Up to 10 plants in Kazakhstan currently produce sunflower husk pellets, with combined output reaching 10,000 tons per month. Almost all of this production is exported.
According to the association, processing sunflower husks allows companies to meet their own energy needs while generating additional export revenue. Pelletizing also increases product density, making storage and long-distance transportation easier.
Another emerging area is the use of sunflower husks for on-site electricity generation. One major Kazakh enterprise has already installed a modern boiler that enables it to generate electricity to power lighting at its production facilities and surrounding premises.
The association estimates that Kazakhstan could increase its annual exports of sunflower husk pellets to 250,000 tons in the medium term, nearly 7.5 times the volume exported in 2025.
It attributes the potential growth to expanding sunflower cultivation areas, increasing domestic processing capacity and sustained demand for biofuel among European consumers.
The development of Kazakhstan's oilseed processing industry is creating an additional export segment, allowing the country to supply foreign markets not only with vegetable oil and oilseed meal but also with products made from processing by-products.
