Abstract
The dairy industry of Kazakhstan plays a key role in ensuring the country’s food security, forming a stable domestic market and creating the basis for the sustainable development of the agro-industrial complex. The availability of natural resources, livestock traditions, and government assistance contributes to the development of milk production and processing, but the industry faces a number of systemic problems. Among the main barriers are low herd productivity, seasonality of production, insufficient digitalization, and logistical restrictions. High dependence on imported dairy products creates risks for the independent provision of the population with strategically important products. Development prospects are associated with the introduction of innovative technologies, the expansion of cooperation, the formation of agro-industrial clusters, and the use of economic and mathematical forecasting models. Strengthening export potential, improving product quality, and integration into international standards can become the basis for strengthening Kazakhstan’s food independence. The dairy industry can turn into one of the priority drivers of regional development and social stability.