Kazakhstan Enters the Top 10 Global Exporters of Sunflower Oil in 2024
Kazakhstan is currently among the top ten leaders in global sunflower oil exports, ranking eighth for the year 2024. Over the past three years, the production of this product in the country has increased by 2.5 times, while exports have nearly quintupled. At the same time, imports of packaged oil have decreased by 11%. This indicates the growing role of Kazakhstan in the global market for oilseeds and their processed products.
This is reported by AgroReview
Achievements in Sunflower Oil Production and Export
In the past year, Kazakhstan has made significant progress in strengthening its position as an exporter. According to the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic, the country has also entered the top three suppliers of sunflower meal to the European Union by the end of 2024. Meal is a key product for animal husbandry that is in demand in many countries around the world.
Last season, Kazakhstan’s export revenue from the sale of oils, meal, and cake amounted to 562 million US dollars. In the coming years, there are plans to double this amount to 1 billion dollars annually. This result is expected to be achieved by shifting priorities in crop production: more and more land is being allocated for the cultivation of sunflowers and other oilseeds instead of traditional wheat.
Expanding the Geography of Export Supplies
“Today, Kazakhstan fully meets the domestic market, stabilizes prices, and at the same time increases exports. We are not just exporting products — we are strengthening the economic security of the country and becoming a provider of food resilience for the entire region. The Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan has effective tools for promoting Kazakhstani exports. These include trade and economic missions, an export acceleration program, and even mechanisms for compensating costs for promoting exports. And we are already seeing direct results: over the past 5 years, there has been a steady increase in the supply of Kazakh oil to the global market,” said Norlan Kulbatyrov, the First Deputy General Director of QazTrade.
The current geography of Kazakhstan’s sunflower oil exports covers Central Asian countries and China. Plans are in place to expand supplies to new markets, including countries in the Middle East. Experts believe that the favorable dynamics in the oil sector will allow Kazakhstan to further strengthen its position on the global stage in the coming years.