Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Agriculture, Azat Sultanov, has announced plans to increase the cultivation of oilseeds, fodder crops and sugar beet by 2024, while decreasing the area for wheat, barley, cotton and rice. The total sown area for the 2024 season is projected to be 23.9 million hectares, a reduction of 115.6 hectares from the previous year. The South Kazakhstan, Kostanay and Akmola regions are expected to have the largest areas for oilseeds.