Yevgeny Karabanov, Head of the Analytical Committee of the Kazakhstan Grain Union, stated that the restrictions imposed by KTZ on grain loading are temporary and unavoidable. He stated that these measures are aimed at stabilizing the movement of export cargo and are related to the high load on the rail infrastructure of neighboring countries, primarily Uzbekistan.
Karabanov noted that in October 2025, grain shipments reached a record 1.539 million tons, a 123% increase from the previous year, of which 1.184 million tons were exported. This led to a backlog of railcars on the Uzbek railway and temporary traffic delays.
According to the expert, the main export flow in September and October was directed to Central Asian countries, while alternative routes were minimally used. He believes that increased shipments to distant markets will help alleviate this load. To this end, Karabanov emphasized, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan needs to adjust the rules for subsidizing transportation costs for wheat exports, clarifying the destinations, amounts, and timeframes for which subsidies apply.