ASTANA (TCA) — An agreement on the export of Kazakhstan honey to China will be signed in May, and work is going on to start Kazakhstan’s meat export to China, First Deputy Agriculture Minister Kairat Aituganov said on February 9, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.
Aituganov noted that Kazakhstan already exports wheat to China, and said that Kazakhstan honey is highly valued in China.
According to the Deputy Minister, honey exports are planned to start in May, but there are some barriers to meat export.
In his words, China limits the import of Kazakh meat due to the lack of certification of Kazakhstani enterprises.
Aituganov said that a joint action plan between the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Office of China in the field of phytosanitary cooperation was signed in May 2016.
Work includes three steps under this plan. The first step is to get access to Chinese market. Immediately after the signing the plan, the Veterinary Service of Kazakhstan conducted an audit on foot and mouth disease, and enhanced control of the FMD situation is being conducted today.
The second phase includes Chinese inspection of Kazakhstan’s livestock production system.
And the third step is the inspection of individual companies to include them in a business register of companies authorized to export to China.
According to Aituganov, a positive audit conclusion as well as compliance with all the requirements of the Chinese side will allow lifting all the restrictions on the export of meat products from Kazakhstan to China in the near future.
