In line with the instructions of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Government is taking measures to ensure a stable harvesting campaign. Current indicators point to higher yields and greater efficiency as a result of measures implemented in the agricultural sector. A key instrument in recent years has been a shift in the approach to state support for the agro-industrial complex — from financing individual measures to providing comprehensive support throughout the entire production cycle.
Advance financing, access to concessional resources, agricultural machinery upgrades, increased use of fertilizers and high-quality seeds, as well as the introduction of modern agricultural technologies have enabled farmers to prepare for the season in a timely manner and maintain a high pace of harvesting operations.
Harvesting pace twice as high as last year, with average yield of 14.6 centners per hectare
The large-scale harvesting campaign began in all major agricultural regions of the country on August 15, 2026. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 2.6 million hectares of grain crops have been harvested to date. By comparison, 1.3 million hectares had been harvested during the same period last year. The average yield as of August 17 stood at 14.6 centners per hectare. Positive dynamics are being recorded across the main agricultural crops.
As part of crop diversification, wheat acreage has been reduced by 875,000 hectares. At the same time, gross output continues to grow. As of today, farmers have harvested 1.6 million tonnes of melons and gourds, 1.1 million tonnes of vegetables, and 513,000 tonnes of potatoes.
Agricultural financing increased more than sevenfold in three years
The results achieved are the outcome of a consistent strengthening of state support for the agricultural sector. Over two years, the volume of financing for the agro-industrial complex increased from KZT 140 billion in 2023 to KZT 1 trillion in 2025. Particular attention has been paid to improving access to financial resources at the early stages of the production cycle.
An important support instrument has been the “Ken Dala” concessional lending programme, aimed at providing timely financing for spring fieldwork and harvesting operations. Around KZT 750 billion was allocated for these purposes this year. To date, KZT 657.7 billion has already been disbursed. Financing has been provided to 5,600 agricultural producers, covering 7.7 million hectares of cropland.
This has enabled farmers to plan their operations in advance and purchase the necessary resources — seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products, fuel and lubricants, and machinery — in a timely manner. As a result, the sowing campaign was conducted within optimal agronomic timeframes and all necessary technological operations were completed.
Today, compliance with agricultural technologies is becoming one of the key reserves for increasing productivity in the sector. Over the past two years, the use of mineral fertilizers has tripled to 1.8 million tonnes. This figure is expected to reach 2.3 million tonnes this year. Contracts have already been signed for the supply of 2 million tonnes of fertilizers, of which 1.9 million tonnes, or 83% of the annual target, have been delivered to agricultural producers.
Work is also continuing to improve the quality of seed stocks. The share of elite seeds used has increased from 7.1% in 2023 to 11.6% at present.
At the same time, the sector is accelerating its technical modernization. Under the concessional leasing programme, financing increased tenfold, reaching KZT 350 billion in 2026. Since the beginning of the year, 6,790 applications worth KZT 256.3 billion have been financed under the programme, providing for the purchase of 7,718 units of agricultural machinery.
Overall, farmers purchased around 25,000 units of modern machinery last year. The rate of renewal of the agricultural machinery fleet has also accelerated: from 6% in 2024, it increased to 6.5% in 2025, while this year it is expected to reach 8%.
An analysis conducted in the country’s major grain-producing regions shows a clear relationship between the level of technological capacity of farms and final crop yields. The higher the level of compliance with agricultural technologies and the availability of necessary resources, the greater the efficiency of production.
In this regard, further development of the sector is focused on increasing productivity per hectare, rational use of resources, and the consistent introduction of modern technologies.
Grain storage capacity of 30.7 million tonnes: infrastructure ready for the new harvest
The infrastructure has been prepared in advance to receive the new harvest. According to regional akimats, the total grain storage capacity in the country amounts to 30.6 million tonnes. Of this, 13.2 million tonnes are accounted for by operating licensed grain-receiving enterprises, while another 17.4 million tonnes are held by agricultural producers. There are currently 189 operating grain-receiving enterprises in the country.
According to the Qoldau.kz portal, licensed grain storage facilities are currently 18% occupied, with 2.5 million tonnes stored. Available storage capacity stands at 10.7 million tonnes. To support agro-industrial enterprises, the Government provides investment subsidies. Under Project Passport No. 21, “Construction and Expansion of Grain Storage Facilities,” the reimbursement rate is 25%.
The quality of incoming wheat also remains high.
A total of 469,500 tonnes of grain from the new harvest has been delivered to licensed grain-receiving enterprises. This is almost four times higher than during the same period last year, when the volume of grain received stood at 120,500 tonnes.
Of the new-crop soft wheat received for storage, 70% was classified as Grade 3, 18% as Grade 4, and 12% as Grade 5 or non-class wheat.
Uninterrupted harvesting ensured by stable diesel fuel supplies to farmers
One of the key conditions for a successful harvesting campaign is the timely supply of diesel fuel to agricultural producers. This year, together with the Ministry of Energy, a fuel supply schedule was developed for agricultural producers.
The total volume of diesel fuel allocated to the agricultural sector in 2026 amounts to 803,000 tonnes. Of this, 402,000 tonnes are allocated for spring fieldwork and 401,000 tonnes for autumn operations.
Taking into account operators’ costs, including transportation expenses, the final price for agricultural producers in the country’s main grain-producing regions is KZT 305–310 per litre, which is 10% below the market price. As of August this year, the price at filling stations stands at KZT 335–340 per litre.
To date, 71,000 tonnes of fuel have been shipped. The issue of ensuring a stable fuel supply for agricultural producers remains under the Government’s constant control.
Yield growth, rather than expanding acreage, is becoming the key driver
The current harvesting campaign reflects the transition of the agricultural sector toward a more productive model, in which growth in production volumes is achieved primarily through higher efficiency and yields.
Changes in the structure of sown areas are accompanied by technological modernization across the sector. The use of fertilizers and high-quality seeds is expanding, agricultural machinery is being renewed, and water-saving technologies are being introduced.
State support covers the key stages of the production cycle — from early financing and resource provision to farm modernization and the development of the necessary infrastructure.
The consistent measures taken by the Government are helping consolidate the results achieved and establish a sustainable foundation for further growth in agricultural productivity.
Further efforts will focus on increasing productivity in the agricultural sector, introducing modern technologies, rational use of land and water resources, reducing costs, and improving the economic returns of agricultural production.
This is in line with the strategic objective set by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to build a competitive, technologically advanced, and sustainable agro-industrial complex capable of supplying the domestic market with high-quality products while consistently expanding Kazakhstan’s export potential.