BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 5. Kazakhstan's
exports of sunflower husk pellets increased 3.56-fold to 63,200
tons in January-September 2026, while export revenues rose
6.15-fold to $3.4 million, according to data from the National
Association of Oilseed Processors of Kazakhstan cited by the
Ministry of Agriculture.


Europe remains the main destination for these products, which
are used as biofuel at power plants. Poland is the largest buyer of
Kazakh sunflower husk pellets. In 2025, it accounted for around 98%
of Kazakhstan's total exports. Polish thermal power plants use the
pellets to generate electricity, with demand from a single large
power plant potentially reaching 30,000 tons per month.


Sunflower husk is a by-product of sunflower seed processing at
oil mills. Depending on the quality of the raw material, it
accounts for 14%-18% of the weight of processed sunflower
seeds.


"Today, most medium-sized and large enterprises in Kazakhstan
separate sunflower husks during processing. Some of them use the
husks in their own boilers to generate process steam, while the
surplus is converted into fuel pellets," said Yadykar Ibragimov,
Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Oilseed
Processors of Kazakhstan.


Up to 10 plants in Kazakhstan currently produce sunflower husk
pellets, with combined output reaching 10,000 tons per month.
Almost all of this production is exported.


According to the association, processing sunflower husks allows
companies to meet their own energy needs while generating
additional export revenue. Pelletizing also increases product
density, making storage and long-distance transportation
easier.







Another emerging area is the use of sunflower husks for on-site
electricity generation. One major Kazakh enterprise has already
installed a modern boiler that enables it to generate electricity
to power lighting at its production facilities and surrounding
premises.


The association estimates that Kazakhstan could increase its
annual exports of sunflower husk pellets to 250,000 tons in the
medium term, nearly 7.5 times the volume exported in 2025.


It attributes the potential growth to expanding sunflower
cultivation areas, increasing domestic processing capacity and
sustained demand for biofuel among European consumers.


The development of Kazakhstan's oilseed processing industry is
creating an additional export segment, allowing the country to
supply foreign markets not only with vegetable oil and oilseed meal
but also with products made from processing by-products.