Kazakhstan resumes grain exports to Morocco after 17-year gap

Kazakhstan has resumed wheat exports to Morocco for the first time since 2008, according to a statement from Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway operator.

Kazakhstan began exporting wheat to Morocco in 2004. It shipped 10,000 tons in 2006, 11,000 tons in 2007 and 40,000 tons in 2008 before shipments halted. In 2025, exports to the North African country have resumed, with 83,532 tons delivered so far.

The initial shipment was dispatched from the Zhana-Esil station in the Akmola region and the Sarykol station in the Kostanay region. The grain, loaded onto 105 railcars, will be transported through Latvia and transferred to ships at the port of Liepaja for delivery to Morocco.

«KTZ promptly processes transportation requests and provides logistics support,» the company stated.

A total of 60,000 tons of wheat grown in northern Kazakhstan is scheduled to be loaded onto 17 trains for this renewed trade route.

Last year, Kazakhstan harvested a record grain crop, prompting the Ministry of Agriculture to seek new export markets. Alongside Morocco, Kazakhstan is set to expand exports to Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia via ports on the Azov, Black and Baltic seas. Exports to Southeast Asia are also being explored.