The export revenue of Kazakhstan's oilseed industry has grown fourfold over four years, reaching $963 million. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin at the 5th International Oilseed Conference FOC 2026 in Astana. The industry's production has reached 1.6 million tons, with a share of 27% in the export of processed agricultural products. Kazakhstan ranks sixth in the world in terms of sunflower oil exports, is the second-largest supplier to the Chinese market, is among the leading suppliers of sunflower meal to the European Union, and almost completely meets the needs of Central Asian countries.
The industry's next goal is to increase foreign exchange earnings to over $1.5 billion and enter the top three global leaders. To achieve this, a roadmap for the development of oilseed product exports for 2026-2028 is being implemented. In 2026, the transshipment of vegetable oil to a sea vessel was carried out for the first time at the port of Aktau. With the support of KTZ, experimental shipments of granulated sunflower meal to China through the Dostyk-Alashankou border crossing in grain carriers have begun.
In the fall of 2025, sunflower oil was sent for the first time from the East Kazakhstan region to China's Jiangsu province in 40-foot containers in flexitanks. The cargo covered 4.7 thousand kilometers in 12 days.