Kazakhstan resumes wheat exports to Morocco after 17-year hiatus

Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), has announced the resumption of wheat exports to the Kingdom of Morocco for the first time since 2008, according to local media reports.

Kazakhstan began exporting wheat to Morocco in 2004, with shipments totaling 10,000 tons in 2006, 11,000 tons in 2007, and 40,000 tons in 2008 before exports came to a halt.

The first renewed shipment departed from the Zhana-Yesil station in the Akmola region and the Sarykol station in the Kostanay region, transported in 105 rail cars. The cargo was routed through Latvia and shipped by sea from the port of Liepaja to Morocco.

«KTZ is processing transport requests promptly and providing logistical support», the company said in a statement.

As part of the renewed trade route, plans are in place to ship 60,000 tons of wheat produced in northern Kazakhstan aboard 17 trains.

Following last year’s bumper grain harvest, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture has been seeking new export markets. In addition to Morocco, Kazakhstan is preparing to boost wheat exports to Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia via the Azov, Black, and Baltic Seas. Efforts are also underway to develop export routes to Southeast Asia.