Astana, 5 November, . Exports of Kazakh oil and fat products to China will reach 1 million tonnes in the next two seasons, the National Association of Oilseed Processors estimates, the Ministry of Agriculture said.
The association and its member enterprises have started work at the 9th China International Import Expo, CIIE, in Shanghai, held from 5 to 10 November: a wide range of products is shown at the national stand. In 2025 Kazakhstan was 2nd in sunflower oil exports to China and among the top three suppliers of sunflower meal; in rapeseed oil it steadily holds a place in the top five in 2024–2025. Over three seasons shipments of vegetable oils and meal and cake to China grew more than 3.7 times and last season reached 657 thousand tonnes worth over 438 million dollars.
By the editors’ calculation that is about 667 dollars a tonne, and for a million tonnes shipments must grow by about 52% on last season. The association notes that cooperation with Kazakhstan Temir Zholy also helped: since February 2024 they have been improving the allocation of rail shipment plans for oils to China through the Dostyk — Alashankou border crossing, and fulfilment of agreed plans has risen from under 40% in 2023 to over 90%. In spring the association, KTZ and China Railway launched a pilot on sending granulated sunflower meal in grain hoppers. The growth will be helped by a wider raw material base, logistics and new processing plants.
What it means: The forecast of 1 million tonnes is the association’s estimate, not the ministry’s plan, and reaching it needs growth of more than half in two seasons. The support named is logistics and the Dostyk — Alashankou rail crossing.
Who benefits: In the association’s view, oilseed processors, whose Chinese market is growing; it links the growth to a wider raw material base, logistics and new plants.
Background: Meal and cake are the solid residue after oil is pressed from seeds; they are used as animal feed. CIIE is the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, where countries show their products to the Chinese market. Dostyk — Alashankou is a rail border crossing between Kazakhstan and China.
