Logistics Challenges Halt Durum Wheat Exports from Kazakhstan to Key Target Market

In September 2026, the volume of durum wheat exports from Kazakhstan (excluding EAEU member states) reached 10.4 thousand tons. This data was announced by Yevgeny Karabanov, head of the analytics committee of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, citing official figures from the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Although September export volumes increased by 5.5 times compared to August 2026, they remained 9.6% lower than in September of the previous 2025/26 marketing season. A prominent feature of the current season's start is the complete absence of shipments to the primary buyer, Italy. Additionally, no exports were recorded toward Latvia during September.

According to the grain market expert, the decline in durum wheat exports to traditional buyers at the start of the 2026/27 MY is driven by several critical factors. First and foremost is the blockade of Azov and Black Sea ports resulting from the escalation of military conflicts in the region, alongside logistics restrictions toward the Baltic ports of the Russian Federation and Baltic states.

Infrastructure bottlenecks have intensified due to the reorientation of Russian grain exports from Black Sea ports to the Baltic Sea, causing severe congestion and a dramatic increase in the cost of alternative transport routes, such as the Georgian port of Poti. Furthermore, the lack of approved subsidy regulations for the transport costs of exporting Kazakh wheat to distant markets adds to the industry's burden.

Amid these logistical hurdles, shipments of Kazakh durum wheat to alternative regional destinations increased in September. Exports to Uzbekistan rose to 1.3 thousand tons (a 1.86-fold year-on-year increase), shipments to Afghanistan reached 2.7 thousand tons from zero, and exports to Tajikistan grew to 6.4 thousand tons.