Kazakhstan has strengthened its position as a global leader in the export of sunflower oil and millcake, an important component in the production of feed for poultry and livestock.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan is the world’s 8th-largest exporter of sunflower oil and ranks among the top 3 sunflower millcake exporters to the European Union.
Kazakhstan’s oilseed industry growth is driven by the consistent expansion of the area under oilseed crops, increasing oilseed processing volumes, and increasing exports.
In 2025, the area under oilseed crops expanded by 1.1 million hectares, or 37.7%, to 3.9 million hectares, including the area under sunflower increasing by 491,100 hectares, or 38.4%.
The country harvested 4.8 million tons of oilseeds compared to 3.3 million tons in 2024, including 2.3 million tons of sunflower seeds (1.8 million tons in 2024).
The production capacity of Kazakhstan’s oilseed processing plants exceeds 5 million tons per year. In 2025, the country produced 888,800 tons of oilseed oil, 17.4% more than in 2024, including 757,200 tons of sunflower oil, 17.5% more than in 2024.
In the first 11 months of 2025, Kazakhstan increased sunflower oil exports by 34.6% compared to the same period in 2024. The main buyers were Uzbekistan (46% of the total), China (33.7%), Tajikistan (13.1%), Afghanistan (4.3%), and Turkmenistan (1.8%).
In December 2025, Kazakhstan revealed its Export Roadmap for Processed Oilseed Products for 2026–2028, which includes steps to expand the raw material base, modernize processing plants, develop logistics, and support farmers. The main goal is to increase the export of processed oilseed products—sunflower oil and millcake—to $1 billion by 2028.
Photo: gov.kz
