- Expansion: Qazaq-Astyq Group to launch a 200 tons/day sunflower oil refining and packaging facility in Q3 2026, boosting Kazakhstan’s value-added processing.
- Capacity: Existing plant reached full design capacity of 300,000 tons/year raw material processing in 2025, underscoring stable upstream supply.
- Exports: 2025 export volumes totaled 112,700 tons of sunflower oil and 88,900 tons of meal, confirming the plant’s strong export orientation.
- Market Impact: Neutral to slightly bearish for Black Sea refined sunflower oil as Kazakhstan becomes a more competitive regional supplier from 2026 onward.
Kazakhstan Sunflower Oil Capacity and Market Update
Qazaq-Astyq Group is moving into the second phase of its sunflower oil complex development in Kazakhstan’s Abay region, planning to commission a new refining and packaging facility in Q3 2026. The unit will process 200 tons of sunflower oil per day, enabling the company to shift part of its crude sunflower oil output into higher-value refined product streams.
The expansion builds on an extraction plant that reached its full design capacity of 300,000 tons of raw material processing per year in 2025. This positions the group as a key industrial player in Kazakhstan’s oilseed sector, supporting the country’s broader strategy of deepening value-added agricultural processing.
2025 Production and Export Performance
| Product | Volume (tons) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raw material processed | 300,000 | Design capacity reached in 2025 |
| Unrefined sunflower oil | 112,000 | Crude oil output from the plant |
| Sunflower meal | 96,600 | By-product used in feed markets |
| Granulated husks | 11,300 | Additional by-product stream |
| Phosphatide concentrate | 622 | Specialized value-added output |
| Sunflower oil exports | 112,700 | Export volume, confirming outward focus |
| Sunflower meal exports | 88,900 | Exported meal supporting feed demand abroad |
In 2025, the plant’s production slate included 112,000 tons of unrefined sunflower oil, 96,600 tons of meal, 11,300 tons of granulated husks, and 622 tons of phosphatide concentrate. Export performance was particularly strong, with 112,700 tons of sunflower oil and 88,900 tons of meal shipped to external markets, underscoring Qazaq-Astyq’s export-oriented model.
Market Impact and Outlook
The launch of a 200 tons/day refining and packaging facility—equivalent to roughly 60,000–70,000 tons of annual refined capacity—represents incremental competition for established Black Sea refined sunflower oil exporters, notably Russia and Ukraine. As Kazakhstan diverts a portion of its crude oil flows into refined products, regional pricing in refined sunflower oil could face additional pressure.
For now, the market effect remains limited by the Q3 2026 commissioning timeline, keeping near-term fundamentals largely unchanged. Nonetheless, traders and crushers should closely monitor Kazakhstan’s vertical integration in oilseeds, as the country’s growing role in value-added sunflower oil products may gradually reshape trade flows and margin distribution across the Black Sea complex.
The announcement of the refining phase was made during a visit by Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov to the Abay region, signaling continued political support for investment in agri-processing infrastructure and export-oriented growth.
Source: Market Data
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