Kazakhstan's Fuel Exports Surge 5.7-Fold in 2025, Imports Plunge

Kazakhstan's fuel trade balance underwent a dramatic shift in 2025, with gasoline exports skyrocketing while imports of the same product collapsed. Official data reveals that the country exported 214.8 thousand tons of gasoline valued at $139.4 million last year, representing a staggering 5.7-fold increase compared to 2024.

The primary destinations for Kazakh gasoline were neighboring Central Asian nations. Uzbekistan was the largest buyer, importing 119.6 thousand tons—an increase of 5.5 times over the previous year. Significant growth was also recorded in exports to Kyrgyzstan (57.5 thousand tons, up from zero in 2024), Afghanistan (21.5 thousand tons, a massive 43.4-fold rise), and Tajikistan (16.1 thousand tons, up 14.2 times).

In contrast to the booming gasoline trade, exports of diesel fuel remained stable at approximately 60.3 thousand tons, mirroring the previous year's level.

The import side of the equation presented an inverse trend. While gasoline purchases from abroad plummeted by a factor of 15.3 to just 1.3 thousand tons, imports of diesel fuel surged dramatically by 5.4 times to reach 377 thousand tons.

Russia remained the dominant supplier for both imported diesel and the remaining gasoline shipments, with Belarus also featuring as a source.

This reorientation in foreign fuel trade occurred against a backdrop of rising domestic prices for consumers at the start of this year.

By January 2026, the average retail price for AI-92 gasoline had risen by over sixteen percent to reach approximately 236 tenge per liter. Similarly, AI-95/96 grade fuel saw its price climb sixteen percent to about 304 tenge per liter. The cost of winter-grade diesel fuel also increased by more than seven percent to an average of 608 tenge per liter, reflecting broader market pressures on energy costs within Kazakhstan.