Over the past ten years, the volume of fish and seafood consumption in Kazakhstan has increased, but the indicator has not been uniform across years. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
In 2015, an average of 11.3 kg of fish and seafood per person per year was consumed, while in 2017 this figure dropped to 10.7 kg. Later, consumption began to grow again. In 2020, it reached its highest level – 15.1 kg per person. In 2023, the figure fell to 14 kg.
In 2025, per capita consumption amounted to 14.6 kg. This is 2.8% more than in 2024 and 28.9% more than ten years ago. However, the 2020 level remains the highest.
In the first quarter of 2026, one person consumed an average of 3.6 kg of fish and seafood. This is 0.9% more compared to the same period last year. The figures for urban and rural residents are the same – 3.6 kg.
Which regions consume the most fish?
In the first quarter of 2026, residents of the East Kazakhstan region consumed the most fish and seafood – 5.8 kg per person. This is followed by the North Kazakhstan region – 5.4 kg, Akmola region – 4.8 kg, and West Kazakhstan region – 4.7 kg.
The lowest figure was recorded in Shymkent – 1.8 kg. This is exactly half of the national average. In the Mangystau region – 2.5 kg, in the Ulytau region – 2.7 kg, in Astana – 2.8 kg.
Fish prices rose by 12.3%
In August 2026, prices for fish and seafood in Kazakhstan increased by an average of 12.3% over the year. The highest price growth was in the Zhetisu region – 24.5%, in the Ulytau region – 22.6%, and in Shymkent – 22.4%. In the Mangystau region, prices decreased by 6.5%, in the Atyrau region – by 3.9%. In the Zhambyl region, prices did not change significantly.
Fish production
In January-August 2026, the production of fresh, chilled, and frozen fish reached 30.4 thousand tonnes, up 4.5% year-on-year. The production of prepared or canned fish, including caviar and its substitutes, decreased by 24.8% and amounted to 7.7 thousand tonnes.
Also, the volume of supplies to the foreign market increased. In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan exported 12.9 thousand tonnes of processed and canned fish, crustaceans, and molluscs. This is 35.7% more than in the same period last year.