Does Kazakhstan feed Uzbekistan with potatoes?

Kazakhstan is becoming a key external supplier of potatoes for Uzbekistan. In the first half of 2026, almost 80% of all potatoes imported by Uzbekistan came from the neighboring country.

According to the National Statistics Committee, from January to June 2026, Uzbekistan purchased 421,900 tons of potatoes worth a total of $34 million from 11 countries. However, the volume of imports decreased by almost 46,900 tons compared to the same period last year.

Kazakhstan became the undisputed leader in supplies, accounting for 337,900 tons, or approximately 80% of the total potato import volume.

By comparison, Pakistan supplied 33,800 tons, Kyrgyzstan 14,800 tons, Afghanistan 13,500 tons, and the Netherlands 9,700 tons. Other countries supplied 12,200 tons.

Thus, the geography of potato imports to Uzbekistan is quite revealing: the volume of supplies from Kazakhstan is almost four times greater than the combined imports from Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and the Netherlands. In fact, Kazakhstan accounts for the bulk of the foreign supply of potatoes on the Uzbek market.

However, these figures should not be attributed solely to a shortage of domestic potatoes.

Uzbekistan itself is a major producer of this crop. According to preliminary data from the National Statistics Committee, approximately 4.16 million tons of potatoes were grown across all farm categories in 2025.

Furthermore, production is planned to increase. The Ministry of Agriculture reported that for the 2026 harvest, the potato planting area is planned to increase to 284,000 hectares, with the expected yield at approximately 4.5 million tons.

The emphasis is being placed not only on expanding the cultivated area but also on increasing yields, using high-quality seed, and implementing modern cultivation technologies.

A logical question arises: if the country produces millions of tons of potatoes, why does it simultaneously have to import hundreds of thousands of tons annually?

The answer may be related not only to production volumes, but also to seasonality, the structure of domestic demand, the quality and varietal characteristics of the product, and the need to supply the market with potatoes between harvests.

Thus, the question "Does Kazakhstan feed Uzbekistan potatoes?" currently sounds more like a journalistic metaphor. However, statistics for the first half of 2026 show that Uzbekistan indeed relies heavily on Kazakh supplies for imported potatoes.