Kazakhstan’s trade with European countries fell 9.3% year-to-date through July 2025, totaling $25.3 billion, according to Zakon.kz.
But behind the headline decline lies a deliberate economic transformation: the country is pivoting away from raw material dependence and investing heavily in industrial modernization.
Exports: Oil Out, Grain & Aluminum In
Shipments to Europe dropped 9.2% ($19.7B), driven by falling volumes of crude oil (-$1.8B), uranium (-40%), and copper (-96%). Yet new sectors are surging:
- Wheat: +2.7x (+$70.5M)
- Raw aluminum: +2.7x (+$164M)
- Flaxseed: nearly doubled (+$49.4M)
Imports: Fewer Planes, More Machines
Purchases from the EU declined 9.4% ($5.7B), especially in consumer goods: aircraft (-65%), food (-60%), pharmaceuticals (-14.8%). Meanwhile, industrial equipment imports skyrocketed:
- Steam boilers: up 59x
- Metalworking machines: up 14.7x
- Power generators: up 4.3x
Who’s Gaining, Who’s Losing?
- Italy remains top partner — but trade volume is down.
- Netherlands boosted Kazakh imports by 16.4% ($3.2B).
- Germany increased exports to Kazakhstan by 14.9%.
- Hungary leads in growth: +223.4%.
This isn’t an economic downturn — it’s a strategic recalibration. Kazakhstan is consciously reducing reliance on commodities and building a diversified, technology-driven economy for the future.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
Sept. 18, 2025