Kazakhstan: corn plantings in Kyzylorda region to grow from 11,000 to 28,000 hectares in 2027, with a 20,000-tonne storage complex now running

On 11 November 2026 Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture reported the launch of the first stage of the Kyzylorda Starch and Syrup Plant project, worth 40 billion tenge (≈ $90 million), in the Syrdarya district. A corn drying and storage complex for 20,000 tonnes is in operation, and the region plans to expand corn plantings from 11,000 to 28,000 hectares by 2027.

Key figures

• Corn storage: 20,000 t
• 2027 plantings: 28,000 ha
• Now: 11,000 ha
• 2026 harvest: 60,000+ t
• Project: ≈ $90 million

What changed

A corn drying and storage complex has been launched in the Syrdarya district of Kyzylorda region. It is the first stage of the Kyzylorda Starch and Syrup Plant investment project. The project is being built in two stages on a 35-hectare site. The second stage provides for a deep-processing corn plant producing starch and syrup. To secure raw material for the future plant, a special roadmap for expanding corn plantings has been approved.

In numbers

Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, 11 November 2026:

• Project cost: 40 billion tenge (≈ $90 million)
• Site of 35 hectares; storage for 20,000 tonnes of corn at one time
• Corn for grain planted in 2026: 11,000 hectares
• Harvested in 2026: more than 60,000 tonnes of grain
• Plan for 2027: 28,000 hectares, 2.5 times more

What it means for the buyer

For a farm in Kyzylorda region this is a chance to arrange corn sales ahead of time: drying and storage capacity has appeared nearby, and in time a plant that will need raw material. The planting plan is for the 2027 season, so seed of the right crop and variety, and machinery for planting and harvesting, are worth ordering early, allowing for delivery times from the USA. For a farmer in another region of Kazakhstan it is a signal: corn is getting state support through the development of processing.

Context

For now corn is a small crop in the region: in 2026 it covered 11,000 hectares. A harvest above 60,000 tonnes means more than 5 tonnes per hectare on average (a calculation from the ministry's figures). According to the ministry, the project is aimed at raising the share of high-value-added products and at developing cooperation between farms and processors.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 11 November 2026