Features of the use of e-commerce in the sale of farmers' products in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Objective – to analyze the features of the use of e–commerce in the sale of agricultural products in Kazakhstan and identify factors affecting the level of implementation of electronic sales channels in the agricultural sector. Methods – dialectical and abstract-logical methods, content analysis of scientific literature, analysis of official statistical data for 2020-2024, survey of farms, as well as methods of structural and comparative analysis. Results – based on a survey of 120 farms, an analysis of the prevalence of e-commerce and the structure of the digital channels used for the sale of products was carried out. The dominance of informal digital sales channels, primarily messengers, has been established, with limited use of marketplaces and their own websites. The levels of digital maturity of farms have been identified and the dependence of the introduction of e-commerce on the territorial factor and the availability of digital infrastructure has been confirmed. The main directions of e-commerce development in the agricultural sector are substantiated. Conclusions – the authors state that e-commerce in the farming sector of Kazakhstan is at an early stage of development and is characterized by a fragmented introduction of digital channels. The expansion of the use of e-commerce requires institutional support, the development of digital infrastructure, the improvement of digital competencies of farmers, and the integration of electronic channels with agricultural logistics.