Kazakhstan, October 2026 — Kazakhstan has recorded its highest-ever wheat export volume as demand from Central Asia and Afghanistan continues to support agricultural trade. According to the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, wheat exports reached 8.87 million tonnes between September 2025 and August 2026, representing a 16.2% increase year-on-year.
Railway freight volumes have also increased alongside export demand. The Ministry of Transport reported that 10.8 million tonnes of grain moved across Kazakhstan’s railway network from January to September 2026, up 12% from the same period in 2025. Export-bound grain shipments accounted for 8.4 million tonnes, an increase of 14%.
Central Asia remains the primary destination for Kazakhstan’s grain exports. Rail shipments to the region reached 5.5 million tonnes during the first nine months of 2026, up 33% year-on-year. Uzbekistan received 4.11 million tonnes, an increase of 44%, while shipments to Tajikistan rose 16% to 1.18 million tonnes. Rail deliveries to Afghanistan increased to 762,000 tonnes, more than four times the volume recorded a year earlier.
To accommodate the new harvest, grain loading reached a record 1.45 million tonnes in September 2026, 7% higher than in September 2025. The transport ministry established a dedicated grain coordination task force to monitor infrastructure and rolling stock readiness and address operational issues. Available resources include 16,900 grain wagons, 17,800 covered freight wagons and more than 2,000 locomotives, which the ministry considers sufficient for expected demand.
The increase in rail freight highlights the strategic role of railway infrastructure in Kazakhstan’s agricultural export economy. With grain flows expanding towards Central Asia, China and Afghanistan, maintaining reliable wagon availability, efficient border connections and sufficient network capacity will be important to sustaining export growth and strengthening the country’s position in regional trade.
Source: The Astana Times
Kazakhstan Sets Wheat Export Record As Grain Rail Freight Increases
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Growing demand for agricultural exports is strengthening the role of freight rail in connecting Kazakhstan’s grain-producing regions with international markets. The country exported a record 8.87 million tonnes of wheat during the 2025/26 marketing year, while railway grain shipments increased by 12% in the first nine months of 2026, highlighting the importance of rail capacity to regional trade.
