Potato harvesting is continuing in Kazakhstan amid relatively high production volumes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the 2026 harvest could reach around 2.8 million tonnes, while domestic demand exceeds 2 million tonnes. The country’s export potential is estimated at approximately 400,000 tonnes, reports EastFruit, citing Eldala.kz.
According to Vice Minister of Agriculture Nazgul Khatepova, around 2.5 million tonnes of potatoes have already been harvested. In the Karaganda and Pavlodar regions, farmers are selling potatoes directly from the field for 90,000–100,000 tenge per tonne.
The Ministry of Agriculture is urging regional akimats and major retail chains to start contracting the required volumes of potatoes now. This should ensure sufficient stocks through to the next harvest while allowing producers to export surplus volumes.
Kazakhstan has been actively increasing potato exports in recent years. In 2025, around 388,000 tonnes were exported, with Uzbekistan becoming the largest destination market. Strong export demand at the time led to restrictions being imposed on potato exports.
Read also: Lower potato harvest in Russia may boost demand for Kazakh exports
This season, however, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture sees no grounds for introducing new export restrictions.
The government also plans to strengthen controls over the formation of stocks of potatoes and other socially important vegetables. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed regional authorities to timely contract, purchase, and store the required volumes of produce to prevent shortages and sharp price increases during the off-season. Surplus volumes, meanwhile, are expected to be directed toward exports.
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