Russian farm exports to Kazakhstan rise 40% to 4.6 million tonnes

Shipments reach 4.6 million tonnes

Russia exported 4.6 million tonnes of agricultural products to Kazakhstan in the first half of 2026, an increase of 1.4 times from the same period a year earlier, the federal Agroexport center told Interfax. Export revenue rose more slowly than physical volume, gaining 24% to reach $2.1 billion.

Preliminary data placed Kazakhstan third among the largest buyers of Russian food by shipment value during the period, ahead of Belarus. The ranking underlines Kazakhstan’s growing importance as an outlet for Russian grain, vegetable oil and processed food, while the difference between volume and revenue growth indicates that the product mix and unit values also shaped the result.

Wheat leads export revenue

Wheat generated the largest revenue among the product categories identified by Agroexport. Russian wheat shipments to Kazakhstan exceeded $213 million from January through June, 4.3 times the value recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. Sugar exports increased 14% to $181 million, while chocolate confectionery rose 27% to $144 million.

Sunflower oil sales grew by almost 1.5 times to $135 million. Exports of bakery products and flour-based confectionery increased 10% to $133 million. Together, these figures show that the expansion covered both agricultural commodities and higher-value processed foods, giving Russian suppliers exposure to several parts of Kazakhstan’s food market rather than a single product cycle.

Growth extends across feed, food and livestock

Several smaller categories recorded particularly sharp increases, although Agroexport did not disclose their shipment values or volumes. Corn exports rose tenfold, bran shipments tripled and barley exports increased 2.2 times. Sales of cat and dog food grew by almost 1.8 times, while exports of live animals advanced 29%. Potato chips rose 25%, mayonnaise and other sauces 22%, and pasta 14%.

Agroexport head Ilya Ilyushin described Kazakhstan as one of Russia’s most important agricultural trading partners and Russia as Kazakhstan’s largest supplier of agricultural products. He said the absence of customs, financial and other restrictions supports bilateral trade. Scientific and technical cooperation is also expanding in biotechnology, breeding and genetics, according to Ilyushin.

Russian companies broaden their presence

EkoNiva Group shipped almost 2,000 tonnes of ultra-high-temperature milk, cream, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, yogurt and curd products to Kazakhstan during the first half. The company also reported demand for seeds from its portfolio, including spring wheat, spring barley, soybean, pea and flax varieties. EkoNiva said its varieties performed well in Kazakhstan’s state demonstration trials in 2025 and were entered in the country’s state register, supporting closer cooperation with local farmers.

Moscow-region producer Timosha has sold products in Kazakhstan for more than 10 years. Regional development head Murad Shikhshabekov said the company supplies confectionery, including oriental sweets, as well as canned fish through all sales channels. In 2024, it signed a direct contract with Small, one of Kazakhstan’s large retail chains. The combination of bulk commodities, consumer foods, dairy products and agricultural inputs indicates that the bilateral flow is becoming broader as well as larger.