Uzbek dairy herd expansion drives 18% YoY canola meal demand growth
Uzbekistan's dairy sector is in the middle of a multi-year industrialization cycle. National herd count is up 11% year-over-year, and ration formulations are shifting toward higher-protein imported meals. Canola meal has been the single largest beneficiary.
Herd growth and ration shifts
The Ministry of Agriculture reports commercial dairy herd expansion of roughly 11% YoY, concentrated in the Tashkent, Samarkand, and Fergana regions. Larger integrators are reformulating rations to include 8–12% canola meal, up from 4–6% two years ago.
Import volumes
H1 2026 canola meal imports totaled 218,000 mt, an 18% increase versus H1 2025. Canadian origin accounted for 87% of the volume, with the balance sourced from the U.S. Northern Tier.
Logistics considerations
The Vancouver–Poti–Aktau–Tashkent corridor remains the primary route. Multi-modal transit times have compressed to 34–38 days on average, with reliability improving materially since the corridor upgrades completed in late 2025.
Boreal expects Uzbek canola meal demand to grow another 12–15% in H2. Long-term supply agreements with anchor integrators are the most efficient way for buyers to secure tonnage into 2027.