Afghanistan is gradually shifting from a peripheral destination to one of the potential drivers of Kazakhstan’s southern grain corridor. It is currently the undisputed leader in purchases of Kazakh wheat flour. However, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are engaged in fierce competition for the Afghan market.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has been systematically developing its domestic grain processing industry by creating favorable conditions for grain imports while protecting domestic flour production. As a result, Kazakh flour millers now have to compete not only on product quality but also on logistics costs.
At the same time, there is a positive development: the Kazakh government has supported the industry by introducing a transport cost subsidy for flour exports to Afghanistan of 16,338 tenge per ton. The results are already visible: in the first half of 2026, exports of processed products increased by 20%, while shipments to Afghanistan rose by 57%.
“Our task is not to look for someone to blame for the past, but to create conditions under which Kazakh flour can remain competitive in foreign markets. A strong processing industry means an additional market for Kazakh grain, jobs and added value within the country,” emphasizes Zhandos Kuanyshev, First Vice President of Astyk Trans JSC and Head of the Logistics and Inspection Committee of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan.
Zhandos Kuanyshev will be one of the participants in a discussion session at the VI International Conference “Asia Grains&Oils Conference in Tashkent 2026”, which will take place on September 16 in the capital of Uzbekistan.
The key question of the discussion will be whether the region can turn the growing volume of grain produced in Central Asia into a well-managed, competitive and diversified export corridor. We will discuss logistics, prices and forecasts - everything that matters to traders, processors, and producers alike.
We invite you to be part of the large-scale “Asia Grains&Oils Conference in Tashkent 2026”!