Kazakhstan expands grain deep processing and reshapes export structure

Kazakhstan plans to significantly expand its grain deep-processing capacity by 2028 through the implementation of five projects with a combined capacity of up to 4.8 million tonnes of wheat and corn per year. According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, this strategy is viewed as a key step in transitioning the agro-industrial sector from a raw-material export model toward the production of competitive, higher value-added goods.

The new facilities are expected to be located across the northern, southern and central regions of the country. Total investment is estimated at approximately USD 2.6 billion, with around 3,300 jobs to be created. Key projects include a wheat-processing plant in the Kostanay region, corn-processing enterprises in the Turkestan and Zhambyl regions, as well as new production facilities in Astana and the Akmola region. Planned outputs include starch, gluten, bioethanol, amino acids and other products of deep grain processing.

Wheat and wheat flour remain the backbone of Kazakhstan’s agricultural exports. The new higher-value products are primarily intended for foreign markets, including Europe, China, the United States, India, Eurasian countries, the Middle East and Africa. Industry assessments suggest that this shift could reduce exposure to volatile grain prices and strengthen the overall resilience of the agricultural sector.

According to a forecast by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Kazakhstan’s wheat production in the 2025/26 marketing year is expected to reach around 15.5 million tonnes. Corn continues to play a relatively minor, though gradually expanding, role, while wheat and barley remain dominant in the country’s grain balance.

Overall, the announced projects reflect a strategic move toward greater domestic value creation and deeper processing of agricultural raw materials. In the longer term, this may influence international markets by increasing competition not only in bulk grain trade, but also in segments for processed grain products, where quality, supply reliability and fair competitive conditions are likely to become increasingly important.