Kazakhstan Becomes a Major Lentil Exporter

27-Jan-2026 01:26 PM

Tashkent. Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country and former Soviet republic, has seen a remarkable increase in lentil production in recent years, leading to significant success in boosting its exports. Turkey is its largest buyer of lentils.

According to available data, 425,400 tons of lentils were exported from Kazakhstan during the months of January-November 2025, which was significantly higher than the 223,510 tons shipped during the same period in 2024. 

In addition, peas and chickpeas were also exported, bringing the total pulse exports to a high of 556,000 tons.

The increasing exports of lentils from Kazakhstan, along with Russia and Australia, are causing growing concern among Canadian producers and exporters.

Turkey has traditionally been the second-largest buyer of Canadian lentils, but it is now prioritizing imports from Kazakhstan over Canada.

According to available data, in 2025, lentil production in Kazakhstan surged to 842,000 tons, pea production increased to 222,000 tons, and chickpea production improved to a new record level of 22,000 tons.

With this, Kazakhstan joined the list of the world's top five lentil exporting countries in 2025, which already included Canada, Australia, the USA, and Russia. Although India is a leading producer of lentils, it is a major importer of this pulse, not an exporter.