Copyright ariananews
Kazakhstan is preparing to expand grain exports to Afghanistan and begin large-scale corn shipments, according to Kazakh media. The announcement followed the Kazakh-Afghan Business Forum held in Shymkent, where Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumanarin met with Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi. The meeting, attended by representatives from government, finance, and business sectors, focused on strengthening trade and economic cooperation—particularly in agriculture and food security. Both sides emphasized expanding Kazakhstan’s grain and flour exports to Afghanistan and developing new avenues for agricultural trade. Asilkhan Dzhuwashev, Chairman of JSC NC Prodcorporation, noted that earlier negotiations, held in September with support from the Kazakhstan Trade House in Herat, resulted in trade agreements worth more than $100 million. Under these deals, Kazakh exporters have already shipped 50,000 tons of grain to Afghanistan. Officials highlighted that with Kazakhstan’s strong grain harvest this year, there is significant potential to increase exports to the Afghan market. The Beyneu Grain Terminal in the Mangistau region, which dispatched its first pilot shipments earlier in 2025, is expected to become a key hub for grain and corn exports to Afghanistan in 2026. The Afghan side, represented by the Islamic Emirate’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, expressed readiness to purchase up to one million tons of corn annually, in addition to existing wheat imports. Afghanistan currently buys between 1.5 and 2 million tons of grain and flour from Kazakhstan each year. Most exports are transported through Uzbekistan, but both governments are exploring alternative routes via Turkmenistan to ensure greater supply stability. Kazakhstan also plans to support exporters through government-backed programs that offset transportation costs, further strengthening its agribusiness presence in Afghanistan. The deepening agricultural partnership underscores growing trade ties between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, with both sides viewing the grain and corn trade as a cornerstone of future economic cooperation.
