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Agriculture

Kazakhstan among top three importers of Russian tea

Kazakhstan’s purchases hit $17 million, securing second place in Russia’s export structure. Russian exporters’ revenue rose 11% to $96 million. Black tea remains the favorite with a 78% share. UAE market saw record growth in physical volume.

Kazakhstan among top three importers of Russian tea

Despite global changes in logistics, the Central Asian market retains its status as a key destination for the re-export of tea from Russia. By the end of 2025, Kazakhstan has firmly secured second place among the main buyers of this product, providing a significant share of suppliers' revenue.

In a nutshell

  • Kazakhstan's purchases amounted to $17 million, securing the country second place in Russia's export structure.
  • Revenue of Russian exporters grew by 11%, reaching $96 million.
  • Black tea remains the favorite, accounting for 78% of total shipments.
  • The UAE market showed record growth in physical volume of purchases by 800%.

Dynamics of supplies to Central Asia and the CIS

According to the Agroexport center, in 2025 the volume of tea supplies to the global market exceeded 12 thousand tons. Total revenue amounted to $96 million. Although the industry showed growth compared to 2024, it has still not reached the record of 2021, when exports were valued at $115 million.

For Kazakhstan, Russian supplies are critically important, as a significant portion of products from major brands are packaged in Russia before being shipped to the region.

Main buyers in 2025

  • Belarus — $44 million
  • Kazakhstan — $17 million
  • Azerbaijan — $7 million

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Sales structure and new destinations

In the product structure, black tea (78%) dominates. Green tea accounts for 16%, with the remainder being flavored blends.

An interesting trend is the entry into the UAE market. For the first time, the volume of shipments there reached 87 tons. In monetary terms, exports to the Emirates grew 2.3 times, indicating attempts to diversify destinations beyond the CIS.

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Author's conclusion

The consistently high position of Kazakhstan in the list of importers confirms the close integration of food markets. However, the active expansion of Russian suppliers into markets of non-CIS countries could lead to a redistribution of commodity flows in the long term.

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