ASTANA ( WNAM MONITORING): Kazakhstan is aiming to become one of the world’s top three exporters of sunflower oil and raise its total exports of oil and fat products to $1 billion by 2028, according to the Ministry of Trade and Integration.
Russia remains the global leader in sunflower oil exports, having shipped 4.4 million tons last year. In comparison, Kazakhstan achieved record results in 2025, exporting over 523,400 tons of sunflower oil between January and October, 2.4 times more than its domestic sales. These exports generated $532 million in revenue, placing Kazakhstan among the top ten sunflower oil exporters globally.
To further increase output and climb into the top three, the government is shifting from fragmented support measures to a coordinated industry strategy, focused on building integrated export chains.
The first meeting of the Export Headquarters for the Promotion of Non-Resource Exports in 2026 was held yesterday in Astana, chaired by Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Aidar Abildabekov. Officials discussed new strategies for expanding agricultural exports and overcoming systemic barriers faced by domestic producers in foreign markets.
In 2025, a roadmap for the development of the oil and fat industry for 2026–2028 was finalized. It included an assessment of over 30 enterprises engaged in oilseed cultivation and processing in the northern, eastern, and southeastern regions, including the Abai, East Kazakhstan, Akmola, Zhetysu, and Almaty regions.
The roadmap outlines concrete targets to improve processing capacity utilization, broaden export destinations, and position Kazakhstan among the top three global sunflower oil exporters by 2028.
Key challenges addressed include rail cargo prioritization, phytosanitary and veterinary controls, registration of Kazakh firms in Chinese trade registries, reimbursement of export costs, and access to financial instruments for state support.
Yadykar Ibragimov, a representative of the National Association of Oilseed Processors, emphasized that the roadmap provides a strategic foundation for industry growth.
