Kazakhstan surpasses previous records with its grain exports to China
A Farmyard Trade Boom: How Kazakhstan Doubled Agricultural Exports to China
Turning the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity, Kazakhstan upped the ante in agricultural exports to China in 2023, quadrupling the amount shipped compared to the previous year. This surge in trade didn't just outpace the 2022 figures, but also surpassed the 2019 record by a significant margin.
The staggering 2.2 million tons of goods, made up of wheat, barley, soybeans, flax, and sunflower seeds, that found their way to China last year was no small feat. Prior to 2023, the largest quantity shipped was 1.2 million tons in 2019. Yet in 2023, freight trains and roads carried the majority of the delivery, with around half a million tons trucked over land.
A lifeline for Kazakh farmers, China's market emergence came as a welcome respite. Strict quarantine measures and troublesome payment issues with heavily sanctioned Iran had left the nation's agricultural sector largely isolated, relying almost solely on trading with Central Asian neighbors.
China's appetite extended even to Kazakh grain damaged by unfavorable weather conditions. The hotly contested market imported grain that sprouted due to heavy rains, thanks to equipment capable of processing it.
Grateful for China's dependability, Yevgeny Karabanov, a representative at the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, shared his delight with the Eldala news site. "China is an expansive and solvent market. There's never dispute over payment for deliveries to China."
According to Karabanov, there's room for even more Chinese business. In 2023, China imported 12 million tons of wheat, only 400,000 tons of which came from Kazakhstan. A triple-fold increase, Karabanov believes, is achievable.
In the eyes of industry experts, this is a realistic goal against the backdrop of Kazakhstan's escalating infrastructure capabilities. The Dostyk-Alashankou and Altynkol-Khorgos crossings can accommodate much more than they currently do, with another line to Dostyk currently under construction, set for launch in the coming years.
The only snag, according to Karabanov, is the pace of bureaucratic processes and those responsible for them. "We have to maintain continuous communication and nudge them," he said. "Once those connections weaken, cargo problems start arising at their end."
Sources:
- https://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2024-01/01/c_136468111.htm
- https://www.invest.gov.kz/en/services/press-releases/2024/240722-trade-between-kazakhstan-and-china-reaches-record-levels
- https://www.rbc.ru/business/25/03/2025/5e844a769a7947255d8ccf28
- https://www.invest.gov.kz/en/areas/infrastructure/2539-nurly-zhol-program
Despite the surge in agricultural exports to China, the weather conditions in Kazakhstan have affected the quality of some of the grain, with China importing grain that had sprouted due to heavy rains.
Amidst the increasing trade between Kazakhstan and China, Yevgeny Karabanov of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan is hopeful that China's import of wheat could triple in the future, surpassing the current ratio of 400,000 tons out of 12 million tons annually.
