ASTANA, Oct 16 (KAZINFORM/APP):Kazakhstan exports wheat to 29 countries, with shipments worth 1.6 billion US dollars, according to data released by the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry ahead of World Bread Day, celebrated annually on October 16, Qazinform News Agency reports.More than half of Kazakhstan’s wheat exports go to Uzbekistan, which accounts for 51% of total exports, or 4.2 million tonnes. Other major destinations include Tajikistan with 16% (1.3 million tonnes), Azerbaijan with 8% (652,000 tonnes), Afghanistan with 6% (496,300 tonnes), and Italy with 5% (418,700 tonnes). Other importers include Algeria and Kyrgyzstan.
The country’s export capacity is supported by strong grain production. Kazakhstan harvests an average of 18 million tonnes of grain annually, while domestic consumption and processing amount to nearly 9.5 million tonnes. This allows the country to fully meet domestic demand while maintaining substantial export volumes.
Flour production is twice the level of domestic consumption, ensuring that the baking industry operates primarily on locally sourced raw materials. Between January and August 2026, Kazakhstan produced 325,500 tonnes of bread.
The annual production capacity of the country’s bakeries stands at 502,000 tonnes, with current utilization at 35.5%. Producers continue to expand their product range in response to consumer demand, manufacturing both bakery and flour-based confectionery products with short and extended shelf lives.
To support the sector, the Government has introduced several support measuers. Under the 2021-2030 Agro-Industrial Complex Development Concept, enterprises expanding production of bakery or confectionery products with annual capacities exceeding 2,000 tonnes are eligible for reimbursement of 25% of investment costs. Flour producers also benefit from a tax incentive, with value-added tax reduced by 80% under Article 490 of the Tax Code.
World Bread Day was established in 2006 at the initiative of the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners. The date coincides with the anniversary of the founding of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on October 16, 1945.
Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan’s grain harvest reached 23 million tonnes.
Reports highlighted Kazakhstan’s grain rail shipments hit record 1.45 mln tons in September.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
