ASTANA – The growth of agricultural exports from Kazakhstan to China has doubled and reached $653.3 million, said Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov during an Oct.31 meeting with a Chinese delegation.
Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov met with delegation from China to discuss agricultural cooperation, joint projects, and current issues related to the export and import of agricultural products. Photo credit: gov.kz.
Saparov emphasized that Kazakhstan exports to China through 1,718 domestic enterprises, with 1,629 focusing on plant-based products and 86 dealing with livestock items.
“The main agricultural exports include flax seeds, wheat, barley, sunflower oil, sunflower seeds, waste from processing grains and legumes, seeds and fruits of other oil crops, rapeseed oil, animal feed, and tobacco raw materials,” he said.
Saparov noted the rise in China’s annual consumption of Kazakh grain. He highlighted that this trend, combined with the country’s proximity and shared border, positions China as a promising market for Kazakh grain and flour.
From January to August this year, bilateral trade turnover reached $798.9 million, marking a 72.7% increase compared to the same period in the previous year ($462.6 million). Chinese imports of agricultural products to Kazakhstan during this period grew by 1.8%, totaling $145.6 million.
To boost trade volumes, experts from the General Customs Administration of China will visit Kazakhstan soon to audit the country’s veterinary system and inspect enterprises interested in exporting livestock products. In the event of a successful audit, China will lift restrictions related to avian influenza and bird flu, boosting livestock product exports to the country.
The sides also discussed joint projects in industrialization and investments. Currently, there are six agricultural projects valued at $426 million, and three more projects totaling $139 million are in the planning stage.
Kazakhstan has signed protocols with China to export 24 plant-based and livestock products, including wheat, flax seeds, barley, alfalfa, corn, wheat bran, and animal feed. There is ongoing consideration of aligning veterinary and phytosanitary requirements for exporting another 12 types of agricultural products to China. These products encompass potatoes, hides, mare’s milk, poultry and poultry products, horse meat, chilled beef, lamb, pork, and live cattle.
