AEconomyIndependent states
Kazakh grain
Wheat of the northern steppes — Kazakhstan is one of the world's major wheat and flour exporters.
Kazakhstan's grain belt lies in the northern regions of Kostanay, Akmola and North Kazakhstan, which grow mostly high-quality hard and soft wheat.
The Virgin Lands campaign launched in 1954 ploughed up millions of hectares of steppe and brought hundreds of thousands of settlers, changing both the economy and the population of the region.
Today Kazakhstan exports wheat to Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran and China and is one of the world's largest flour exporters. Grain travels by rail and through the Caspian ports.
Sources
Updated: October 2, 2026