Kazakhstan Moves to Further Restrict Wheat Imports
Kazakhstan plans to remove poultry farms and grain processors from exemptions to its wheat import restrictions.
Kazakhstan is preparing to tighten its restrictions on wheat imports, according to a draft government resolution. The move would narrow the scope of a six-month partial ban introduced in July, which currently allows imports under specific exemptions.
The existing ban permits wheat shipments by rail to poultry farms, grain-processing enterprises, licensed grain elevators, and the state-owned Food Contract Corporation. The proposed amendment would remove poultry producers and grain processors — the primary importers of wheat — from this exempted list.
Russia serves as Kazakhstan's principal wheat supplier, having exported roughly 2 million metric tons to the country between September 2025 and July 2026. Russian wheat shipments have faced headwinds recently, with exports through the Azov-Black Sea corridor largely stalled.
Meanwhile, Russia anticipates a strong grain harvest this season, with over 110 million metric tons of grain already collected, including 83.5 million tons of wheat.