Starting 1 July 2026, Kazakhstan will introduce three new national standards in the field of organic agriculture. The measures are expected to create new opportunities for farmers, simplify certification procedures, and strengthen the country’s position in the global organic market.
The new standards will cover:
- Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS),
- group certification for producers,
- organic products made from wild-harvested raw materials.
The standards were developed by the Union of Organic Producers of Kazakhstan with support from UNDP.
What will change for farmers
The main goal of the reform is to make organic farming more accessible for small businesses and local farms.
Under the new system, small producers will be able to:
- reduce certification costs,
- form cooperatives,
- access export markets more easily,
- participate in transparent supply chains.
Particular attention is being given to the PGS model — a more flexible and affordable quality assurance system that does not require costly third-party international certification.
New export potential
A separate standard will regulate, for the first time, the collection and processing of organic products made from wild-harvested raw materials. This creates new opportunities for exporting natural products based on Kazakhstan’s rich природный потенциал while ensuring environmental sustainability and full product traceability.
Why it matters
The adoption of these standards effectively creates a full-scale ecosystem for organic agriculture in Kazakhstan by:
- expanding the domestic organic market,
- lowering barriers for producers,
- increasing consumer trust in organic products,
- improving the country’s competitiveness in international markets.
Experts say the new standards represent more than a regulatory update — they mark an important step toward building a sustainable, modern, and inclusive agricultural sector in Kazakhstan.