Kazakhstan Increases Exports to $60.4 Billion in Eight Months
Foreign Trade
According to analysts from JSC "QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center", Kazakhstan's total foreign trade turnover reached $103 billion in the first eight months of 2026. Of this, exports accounted for $60.4 billion, and imports stood at $42.6 billion. Compared to the same period in 2025, turnover increased by 12.8%.
The positive trade balance grew from $9.8 billion to $17.8 billion, an increase of approximately 82%. At the end of the first half of the year, the figure was about $8.9 billion. The surplus increased by nearly $9 billion in July and August.
Agricultural Products
Sunflower oil exports from January to August amounted to 611.4 thousand tons valued at $672.8 million. In monetary terms, supplies increased by 48.5%, and in physical terms by 35.9%.
Wheat exports reached $1.25 billion, up 26.5%. More than 5.5 million tons of grain were sent abroad, 13.8% more than the previous year. Exports of wheat and wheat-rye flour grew to $400 million, an increase of 36%; the physical volume increased by 22.8%, reaching 1.38 million tons.
Revenue from flaxseed exports increased 2.3 times, totaling $387.8 million. Physical supplies increased 2.5 times, reaching 780.8 thousand tons. Exports of ready-made animal feed reached $577.6 million, adding 60.8% in monetary terms and 44.2% in physical terms. Combined revenue from the export of sunflower oil, flour, and ready-made feed totaled $1.65 billion, approximately $500 million more than the previous year.
Metals and Imported Equipment
Exports of copper and copper cathodes increased by 55.7%, reaching $3.9 billion. Uranium shipments grew by 26.9%, totaling $3.1 billion. Together, these two commodity groups generated $7 billion in export revenue.
Imports of power generation units rose by 86.5%, amounting to $916.5 million. The cost of turbojet and turboprop engines, as well as gas turbines purchases, reached $611 million, increasing 3.3 times. Overall, imports in these two categories exceeded $1.5 billion, while the country's total imports grew by 4.5%.
Trade Partners
China remained the top trading partner of Kazakhstan: during the eight months, the indicator reached $23.3 billion, or 22.7% of the republic's foreign trade. Russia was second with $18.3 billion, and Italy third with $11.8 billion. Together, these countries accounted for more than half of the foreign trade turnover.
In terms of export value, Italy became the largest direction, receiving $10.9 billion worth of goods. Exports to China amounted to $10.7 billion. Russia remained the principal supplier of imported goods to Kazakhstan, with deliveries from this country reaching $13.2 billion.
