Kazakhstan has boosted lamb exports by nearly a third, but the meat has become markedly more expensive at home, with prices rising by an average of 24.5% over the year. The news was reported by infohub.kz.
According to ranking.kz, Kazakhstan sharply increased exports of sheep and goat meat in 2026. Between January and July, 18,700 tonnes were shipped abroad — 28.7% more than a year earlier.
Almost all of those exports went to Uzbekistan — 18,300 tonnes, or 97.9% of the total. Kazakhstan earned about $51.5 million from the meat supplies, 2.5 times more than a year earlier.
Against that backdrop, however, lamb prices have risen noticeably inside the country. In August, Kazakhs paid on average 24.5% more for the meat than a year earlier. The increase has been under way for about a year, with lamb getting more expensive every month; the sharpest jumps came in May and June 2026, at 4.7% and 4.2% respectively.
Analysts cite growing export demand as one of the reasons for the price rise.
Lamb is considered a socially significant food product in Kazakhstan, and its prices are recorded weekly. According to the Bureau of National Statistics, the picture in September 2026 was as follows: prices rose by an average of 0.4% over the month, by 18.6% since the start of 2026, and by 21.7% over the year.
As of September 30, the average price of a kilogram of lamb stood at 4,529 tenge. The highest prices were recorded in Astana, at an average of 5,441 tenge per kilogram. The cheapest lamb was available in Kokshetau, at 3,795 tenge.
The national average was 4,529 tenge per kilogram, with a 21.7% rise over the year and an 18.6% increase since the start of the year. By city, the picture as of September 30, 2026, was as follows: Astana — 5,441 tenge (29.2% over the year, 29.3% since the start of the year); Almaty — 5,043 tenge (18.0% and 15.7%); Petropavlovsk — 4,772 tenge (35.5% and 29.4%); Qonaev — 4,718 tenge (23.0% and 18.9%); Kostanay — 4,698 tenge (45.2% and 33.4%); Karaganda — 4,621 tenge (25.6% and 22.2%); Aktau — 4,499 tenge (17.6% and 14.5%); Taraz — 4,447 tenge (24.9% and 18.4%); Shymkent — 4,446 tenge (14.4% and 16.7%); Pavlodar — 4,442 tenge (34.6% and 26.9%); Taldykorgan — 4,434 tenge (26.0% and 18.9%); Ust-Kamenogorsk — 4,378 tenge (26.5% and 24.1%); Zhezkazgan — 4,370 tenge (21.9% and 17.8%); Semey — 4,360 tenge (32.9% and 23.6%); Kyzylorda — 4,330 tenge (32.3% and 26.2%); Turkestan — 4,200 tenge (18.4% and 19.1%); Atyrau — 4,178 tenge (12.9% and 12.1%); Oral — 4,107 tenge (43.4% and 36.5%); Aktobe — 4,053 tenge (8.3% and 5.5%); Kokshetau — 3,795 tenge (13.9% and 13.3%).
So while higher exports bring Kazakhstan extra revenue, they also put more pressure on the domestic market. As a result, lamb is becoming less affordable for buyers.