ALMATY ( WNAM MONITORING ): Kazakhstan recorded a strong agricultural performance in 2025, harvesting 27.1 million tons of grain despite a reduction in wheat planting areas, Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov said at a government meeting on Nov. 4.
Saparov highlighted that the agricultural season demonstrated steady growth across the sector, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
“This year has been record-breaking not only for grain, but also for high-yield and high-demand crops such as legumes and oilseeds, which became the focus of diversification efforts,” he said.
Diversification yields record harvests
According to the minister, grain harvesting is now complete across the country. From 16 million hectares, farmers collected 27.1 million tons of grain with an average yield of 17 centners per hectare.
Wheat accounted for 20.3 million tons from 12.2 million hectares — half a million tons more than in 2024, despite a reduction of 900,000 hectares in wheat acreage as part of diversification.
Barley production remained stable at around 4 million tons, while legumes reached 1 million tons for the first time. Oilseed harvest hit a record 4.3 million tons, with harvesting still ongoing.
Strong growth in industrial and vegetable crops
Farmers also collected 2.9 million tons of potatoes, 3.8 million tons of vegetables, and 2.6 million tons of melons.
Cotton production increased by 42% to 428,000 tons, supported by the use of modern technologies such as drip irrigation.
During the season, farmers applied 1.8 million tons of mineral fertilizers, covering 56% of scientifically justified needs, while the share of elite seeds rose from 9.5% to 11.5%.
Exports reach new record levels
Grain exports for the previous season reached 13.4 million tons, 47% higher than in 2024, supported by transportation subsidies.
“We plan to maintain this export level, which is why the subsidy measure has been extended until Sept. 1, 2026,” Saparov said.
To support value-added exports, five investment projects for deep grain processing are currently being implemented, which will remove an additional 2.5 million tons of raw grain from the market.
According to Saparov, in 2026 Kazakhstan will continue diversifying crop structures to prioritize high-profit and less water-intensive crops.
