Kazakhstan mulls banning egg imports
The Kazakhstan government has published a draft decree proposing a 6-month ban on egg imports, including from members of the Eurasia Economic Union (EEU), a Russian-led trade bloc.
The move, lobbied by the Kazakhstan Union of Poultry Farmers, is primarily aimed at protecting the Kazakhstan market from relatively cheap imports from Russia, and also aims to provide additional growth impetus to already expanding egg farms.
In 2025, the Kazakhstan egg industry achieved encouraging results, producing 4.5 billion eggs, moving closer to meeting domestic market demand by 100%, Kairat Maishev, head of the Union of Poultry Farmers of Kazakhstan, said.
“This is not the first time such a measure will be adopted. It is seen as an opportunity to further expand the industry and improve the competitiveness of Kazakhstani products,” Maishev said.
The Kazakhstan poultry industry is comprised of 70 farms, of which 34 produce eggs.
Protecting achievements
With the move, the government aims to protect investments made in the Kazakhstan poultry industry over the last few years. Quite a few farms underwent modernisation and scaled up operations, taking advantage of several state aid programmes.
Although the draft decree is subject only to public hearings and has yet to come into force, the Union of Poultry Farmers has already praised the Kazakhstan government for its willingness to support the sector.
“Today, the direct dialogue between the Poultry Union and the Ministry of Agriculture is aimed at bolstering the industry and strengthening the country’s agricultural potential, with systemic government support and business initiatives becoming the primary focus,” the Union of Poultry Farmers emphasised.
An alternative to a full ban
Kazakhstan imports poultry almost entirely from Russia, with some small shipments also coming from Belarus. According to local farmers, the 6-month ban is a reasonable alternative to full prohibition of imports, which would be difficult to justify given that all 3 countries are EEU members.
Import restrictions push local wholesalers to sign long-term contracts with Kazakhstan suppliers, as repeated restrictions make imports from Russia increasingly unpredictable.
In recent months, the Kazakhstan poultry industry has been voicing concerns about a possible rise in egg imports from Russia, where egg manufacturers have been grappling with a severe oversupply crisis that has hampered profitability and forced farmers to export eggs at relatively low prices.
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