The 2022/23 grain season is not over yet, and Kazakhstan has already set a record for wheat exports. According to official statistics, for 11 months of the current season (from September to July) Kazakhstan shipped 7.31 mln tonnes of wheat to foreign markets. This is an absolute record for the last few seasons.
For comparison: for the same period in 2021/22 MY, Kazakhstan exported 5.52 mln tonnes of wheat, in 2020/21 MY – 5.6 mln tonnes.
In general, the growth in exports was due to Uzbekistan, which not only remained the top importer of Kazakh grain, but also significantly increased purchases. For 11 months of the current season, 3.61 mln tonnes of wheat were exported to Uzbekistan from Kazakhstan, which was a record. In the previous seasons for the same period, this volume did not exceed 3 mln tonnes (2021/22 MY – 2.48 mln tonnes, 2020/21 MY – 2.9 mln tonnes, 2019/20 MY – 2.15 mln tonnes, 2018 / 19 MY – 2.13 mln tonnes).
Tajikistan imported 976 thsd tonnes of Kazakh wheat for the specified period (there were more only in 2018/19 MY – 987 thsd tonnes).
For 11 months of this season, 741 thsd tonnes of Kazakh wheat were exported to Afghanistan, which is also a record.
We also note the increase in exports to Turkmenistan – up to 448 thsd tonnes – the highest figure for 5 seasons.
Also, there was an increase in purchases of Kazakh wheat by China – up to 344 thsd tonnes. However, this volume does not reach the same indicator in 2018/19 MY (393 thsd tonnes).
More information about the grain market in Central Asia, the prospects for trade between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will be presented at the third international conference Asia Grains&Oils Conference in Tashkent 2023, which will be held on September 14-15 in Tashkent.
You can find a detailed agenda on the APK-Inform website.
