KAZAKHSTAN: Rules for sturgeon caviar labelling adopted

As of 4 January 2026 organisations placing sturgeon caviar on the market of Kazakhstan or exporting it from the country are required to comply with the adopted regulation on sturgeon caviar labelling.

The adopted regulation modernizes Kazakhstan’s system for labelling and tracking sturgeon caviar, strengthens compliance with CITES, digitizes the service process through the national e-government platform, and replaces all earlier versions of the labelling rules.

The adopted regulation establishes:

  1. Rules for labeling sturgeon caviar sold on domestic and foreign markets.
  2. Label forms for export caviar trade.

The regulation ensures transparency, legality, and traceability of caviar trade in line with Kazakhstan’s laws on wildlife protection, state statistics, and public services.

Key Provisions

  • A unified libelling system for sturgeon caviar is introduced nationwide.
  • Unlabelled caviar cannot be sold.
  • Labelling is required for all sturgeon caviar except products in customs transit through Kazakhstan.
  • Traders (legal or physical persons) must submit annual reports on label use to the Fisheries Committee by February 1 of the following year.

Domestic Market Labelling

  • Traders apply for labels through the “e-Government” web portal.
  • The Fisheries Committee issues and records labels, which are considered strict accountability documents.
  • Each label contains details about the trader, product type, quantity, and packaging.
  • Damaged labels must be returned and destroyed under official supervision.
  • Records must be kept for five years.

Label characteristics (domestic market):

  • Size: 100 × 19 mm
  • Color:
    • Green – domestically produced caviar
    • Red – imported caviar
  • Features: demetallized copper strip, microtext “уылдырық,” sturgeon image, national emblem, and CITES/KZ hologram.
International Market Labelling
  • Export labels are produced by the National Bank’s Banknote Factory based on permissions issued under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).
  • Each label receives a unique series and number assigned by the Fisheries Committee.
  • Adhesive used must prevent reuse or removal.
  • Export labels are blue and feature UV numbering, the national emblem, and a CITES/KZ hologram.

Species codes (examples):

  • Acipenser baerii – BAE
  • Huso huso – HUS
  • Acipenser stellatus – STE
  • Mixed species (pressed caviar) – MIX

Public Service Procedure

  • The state service “Issuance of labels for domestic trade in sturgeon caviar” is provided free of charge.
  • Application and processing time: within two working days.
  • Results are delivered electronically via the applicant’s personal account on the e-Government portal.
  • The Committee may refuse service if documents are incomplete, invalid, or falsified, or if legal restrictions apply.

 Repealed Regulations

The adopted regulation revokes previous rules on sturgeon caviar libelling from:

  • 2015 (Order No. 18-04/14),
  • 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023 amendments related to that order.