ASTANA – Over the last two years, Italian export to Kazakhstan increased 64 percent, according to acting Honorary Consul of Italy in Almaty Pietro Calà, reported Kapital.kz. The country plans to expand its exports to Kazakhstan in the near future by bringing more brands.
Honorary Consul of Italy in Almaty Pietro Calà. Photo credit: kapital.kz
Italy is second in imports from Kazakhstan among European countries. First place belongs to Germany. The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Italy amounted to $17 billion in 2014 and $16.2 billion in 2013. During 2015, it amounted to $9.3 billion due to the much lower prices for commodities which make up the main staples of Kazakhstan’s exports. In fact, Kazakhstan’s exports of raw materials make up the lion’s share of the bilateral trade.
According to Calà, 50 percent of imported Italian goods are machinery and equipment; about 20 percent goes to clothing and footwear. “The remaining percentage we relate to food. This is a very important sector for us. It takes 10 percent of the production as a whole, and if we add agriculture, there will be 14 percent,” said Calà.
He also added that the prices for Italian goods have not risen in Kazakhstan, even despite the fact that the Kazakh economy if facing hard times with the devaluation of national currency and the growth of prices for European goods.
“Some of our importers reduced their profits to maintain trade turnover. We can see this by the fact that the price of the Italian pasta has not increased twice,” Calà noted.
He mentioned the implementation of big Italian projects in Kazakhstan. “The largest pasta maker Pasta Zara will build a plant here. Inalca is also interested in opening a factory; it specialises in meat products,” he said. The relevant agreements were signed during EXPO 2015 in Milan.
