Kazakhstan Sugar Output Falls to 9,500 Tons in Q1 as Imports Seize 92.9% Share
Updated
Updated · Astana Times · Jul 28
Kazakhstan Sugar Output Falls to 9,500 Tons in Q1 as Imports Seize 92.9% Share
1 articles · Updated · Astana Times · Jul 28
Summary
Kazakhstan’s sugar factories produced just 9,500 tons in the first quarter of 2026, down from 64,600 tons a year earlier, while per capita consumption held steady at 1.5 kilograms a month.
Domestic supply covered only 7.1% of total sugar resources, down from 28.2% a year earlier, leaving imports to dominate 92.9% of the market.
Processing-capacity and logistics bottlenecks have undercut the government’s push to cut sugar import dependence to 17% by 2026, despite a record 1.3 million-ton sugar beet harvest in 2024.
The setback revives concerns exposed by the 2022 sugar shortages, when supply disruptions highlighted Kazakhstan’s vulnerability to external prices and availability.
Health risks add to the policy challenge: WHO-linked data show one in five Kazakh children aged 6-9 was overweight or obese in 2020, even as global sugar demand is projected to reach 202 million tons by 2034.