Kazakhstan raises rapeseed exports to Russia and China as sunflower seed shipments decline

Rapeseed shipments accelerate

Kazakhstan has sharply increased rapeseed exports in the current season while reducing shipments of sunflower seed, according to figures reported by ZOL.ru. The change is most visible in trade with Russia and China, where rapeseed volumes rose substantially compared with the same period of the previous marketing year.

Yevgeny Karabanov said Kazakhstan exported 66,100 tonnes of rapeseed to Russia during the period under review. That was 2.04 times the volume shipped in the corresponding period of the previous marketing year. Russia therefore remained a major destination for Kazakhstan’s growing rapeseed trade.

China records the fastest growth

Exports to China reached 42,200 tonnes, an 8.8-fold year-on-year increase. Although the absolute volume remained below shipments to Russia, the pace of growth was considerably stronger. The figures indicate that China has become a more significant outlet for Kazakhstan’s rapeseed suppliers during the current season.

Kazakhstan also increased rapeseed exports to Latvia, ZOL.ru reported. The available source material does not provide the volume or growth rate for that route. Latvia’s inclusion among the expanding destinations nevertheless shows that additional shipments were not confined to Kazakhstan’s neighboring markets.

Sunflower seed exports move in the opposite direction

At the same time, Kazakhstan reduced sunflower seed exports. No shipment volume or percentage decline was given in the available report, so the scale of the pullback cannot be compared directly with the increase in rapeseed trade. The figures do, however, show contrasting export trends for two of the country’s principal oilseed crops during the same season.

For growers, processors and traders, the destination breakdown is important. Russia received the largest disclosed rapeseed volume at 66,100 tonnes, while China accounted for 42,200 tonnes and delivered the fastest rate of growth. The expansion into Russia, China and Latvia gives Kazakh suppliers several outlets, but the available data do not establish whether the shift reflects changes in production, prices, processing demand or trade policy. Market participants will need fuller season data to determine whether the rise in rapeseed shipments represents a lasting change in Kazakhstan’s oilseed export mix or a movement specific to the current marketing period.