Kazakhstan’s economy was plagued by hyperinflation and deep recession until the mid-1990s, but with the onset of the oil boom the country’s economic situation rapidly improved. Agriculture began its gradual recovery in the early 2000s, but annual growth has been highly volatile, largely following the strong fluctuations in grain output. Today, the country ranks among the world’s top ten wheat exporters, but overall it is a net agro-food importer, in particular of livestock products.