Uzbekistan increases wheat imports from Kazakhstan by nearly 30%

Uzbekistan has significantly boosted its wheat imports from Kazakhstan, receiving over a third of the grain exported from the neighboring country’s 2024 harvest, according to Forbes Kazakhstan, citing data from Kazakhstan Railways.

Photo: Steve Daniels / geograph.org.uk

Between September 2024 and April 2025, Kazakhstan exported 7.6 million tons of newly harvested wheat – a 58% increase compared to the same period of the 2023–2024 season. Uzbekistan emerged as the largest importer, purchasing 2.7 million tons, which is nearly 30% more than in the previous season.

Tajikistan ranked second, importing 1.1 million tons – 1.5 times more than the prior year. Iran followed in third with 889,000 tons, a dramatic 16-fold increase from the previous season.

The sharpest growth in wheat exports was seen in the Azerbaijani market, which soared nearly 114 times to reach 569,000 tons. Afghanistan increased its wheat purchases by a third to 270,000 tons, while exports to Kyrgyzstan doubled, reaching 181,000 tons.

To further support regional trade, Uzbekistan Railways and Kazakhstan Railways recently agreed to reduce transit tariffs for Kazakh wheat heading to Afghanistan by 40%. The discount applies to shipments along the Oasis (Karakalpakstan) – Galaba (Surkhandarya region) route.

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