As reported by Kallanish, Kazakhstan has extended its ban on the export of ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap for another six months. The new government order takes effect on May 1, 2026, and applies to raw material exports across all modes of transport. For the regional market, this means maintaining tighter control over the raw material base, directly affecting scrap availability for metallurgical enterprises, particularly in the Black Sea region.
Which Categories Fall Under the Restrictions
The ban covers ferrous metal scrap, copper, aluminum, lead, and used batteries. Specifically mentioned are goods under HS code 7204, which covers ferrous scrap and ingots for remelting. Restrictions also apply to code 7302, which includes railway infrastructure elements such as rails, bolts, and sleepers.
Additionally, the order concerns steel pipes and hollow profiles under codes 7304, 7305, and 7306, including large-diameter pipes exceeding 406.4 mm. Locomotive and rolling stock parts under code 8607 are also listed. A separate regime is provided for used components exported for repair: they can be exported and returned only by road transport, provided they have proper documentation.
Impact on the Steel Market and Solutions from winox.ua
The history of such restrictions in Kazakhstan has lasted for eight years: the ban was first introduced for road transport in 2018 and expanded to rail in 2020. Since then, the regime has been extended at least ten times, reflecting the country's strategic goal to keep scrap metal within the national economy. Meanwhile, the exception for Eurasian Economic Union countries means that part of the legal raw material flows will continue to stay within the integrated market.
For steel producers and traders, this creates additional tension in the raw materials segment, especially amid competition for scrap in the Black Sea region. In such conditions, it is vital for businesses to rely on predictable supply channels for finished metal products rather than just spot raw material trends. This is why winox.ua, as a supplier of rolled metal, stainless steel, and non-ferrous metals, helps clients mitigate supply risks by ensuring reliable deliveries and a stable pricing approach.
What This Means for Kazakhstan and Regional Industry
The extension of the ban aligns with the overall logic of supporting Kazakhstan's domestic metallurgy. According to GMK Center data, the country increased steel production by 3.9% year-on-year to 4.27 million tons in 2025, while flat products production rose by 6.4% to 2.88 million tons. Keeping scrap inside the country serves to provide domestic processors with essential raw materials.
Furthermore, the market considers the prospect of new steel production investments. Specifically, China's Fujian Hengwang Investment plans to build a $1.2 billion metallurgical plant in Kazakhstan with a capacity of up to 3 million tons of steel annually. If the project is realized, the importance of a stable raw material base for the country will grow even further, forcing regional buyers to monitor the balance of scrap, semi-finished products, and finished rolled metal more closely.