Kazakhstan introduces wheat import ban
Kazakhstan approved a wheat import ban by rail and road, while allowing limited rail imports for flour mills, grain elevators and poultry firms. Industry groups warned growing regional demand, rising processing capacity and uncertain future harvests could tighten long-term grain supplies.
Kazakhstan’s Interdepartmental Commission has decided to ban wheat imports by both rail and road transport. The announcement was made by Yevgeny Gan, Chairman of the Founders’ Council of the Union of Grain Processors of Kazakhstan. The information was also confirmed by the Grain Union of Kazakhstan.
According to Gan, the authorities initially considered imposing a complete ban without any exemptions. However, the Union of Grain Processors succeeded in securing permission for wheat imports by rail for certain categories of users. The exemption will apply to flour mills, grain elevators, and poultry enterprises, which will be allowed to import wheat under approved lists.
Gan noted that in early May, the Grain Union of Kazakhstan had forecast carryover grain stocks of around 2 million tonnes at the start of the new marketing season, even taking current imports into account. In the Union’s view, such a volume would not have placed significant pressure on the market or prices, but these arguments did not prevent the introduction of import restrictions.
At the same time, representatives of the grain processing industry believe that reduced demand for Russian wheat could lead to lower grain prices in border regions and, consequently, cheaper Russian wheat flour. Therefore, they argue that similar restrictions on flour imports should also be considered.
The Union of Grain Processors also highlighted long-term challenges related to regional grain supply. After two consecutive bumper harvests in 2024 and 2025, another record crop cannot be taken for granted, while the populations of Central Asian countries and Afghanistan continue to grow rapidly. According to the Union’s estimates, annual bread consumption in the region increases by about 400,000 tonnes each year, while new deep grain-processing facilities expected to come online in the coming years will require at least an additional 2 million tonnes of wheat annually. An official protocol formalizing the import ban has not yet been published.
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Source : Ukr Agro Consult
