ASTANA – Entrepreneurs from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries will no longer need to travel to China, Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan to purchase goods, as Central Asian region trade routes will now converge in Kazakhstan. The National Association of Trade Enterprises together with Kyrgyz colleagues is launching a unique project – the Commodity Distribution System of the Central Asian region with logistics centres in Almaty, Astana and Atyrau. All procedures from order to payment will be made online, according to Kapital.kz.
Photo credit: kapital.kz
“Such a wholesale distributor successfully operates in Paris. A number of logistics centres operate there in the 900-hectare territory. They all work online, providing the entire EU (European Union) with necessary products. Manufacturers supply their goods directly to wholesale warehouses. The number of intermediaries is decreasing. Such a system reduces prices, fights the shadow economy and helps enterprises plan their work. Farmers do not run after the government, asking where to put the products, and people do not ask why the agricultural goods are expensive,” said Kyrgyz Association of Markets, Trade and Services President Sergey Ponomaryov.
He added the system will be effective only if it works in both directions, forming the application and proposal portfolios simultaneously. As a result, large trucks will transport one product, unload and reload other products. Ponomaryov is certain the project will help Kazakh producers enter international markets.
Kazakh Association of Trade Enterprises Vice President Zhibek Azhibayeva is a strong supporter of the platform, noting China, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan are interested in the project.
“We plan to open a wholesale distribution centre in Almaty on Aug. 18 (close to Miras market). The centre will be constructed on an 11-hectare territory and start from 30,000 square metres of retail space. The possibilities of the project are unlimited,” she added.
The platform will focus on e-commerce and Ponomaryov provided examples of centres where turnover reaches $150 billion per year.
“The commodity-producing system that we are offering is unique, especially for landlocked countries. For the first time we will unite business associations, logistics companies, investors and farmers on one site. We give guarantees to all participants. Some will receive money and others will receive goods,” he said.
Experts indicated the arrangements can be made in a year.
