Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, visited China on April 3, where he met with officials from Jiangsu Province and representatives of Jiangsu Soho Holding Group in Nanjing, the province’s capital. During the meeting, the Chinese side presented design concepts for a planned multifunctional center to be built in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, in 2026.

According to the trade ministry, the future center will strengthen Kazakh-Chinese trade and business relations. It will serve as a venue for showcasing Chinese and Kazakh goods, hosting business negotiations, registering trade transactions, and providing consulting services. The complex will also include a trade pavilion, a cultural center, and an office for Jiangsu Soho Holding Group.

The sides also discussed plans to hold a Jiangsu Province goods exhibition in Astana from June 11 to 13, to coincide with the upcoming Central Asia-China summit. As part of his visit, Shakkaliyev toured the Central Asia-Jiangsu Trade Center and the National Pavilion of Kazakhstan in Nanjing, which opened in September 2024. The trade center is a multifunctional platform promoting exports from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, and is designed to increase Central Asian access to the Chinese market.

Shakkaliyev also held talks with Eurasia Construction Capital Co. Ltd, which is planning to launch an investment project in Kazakhstan’s Atyrau region to establish a private special economic zone (SEZ) or industrial park. The initial investment is estimated at $100 million. Seven major Chinese companies, specializing in petrochemical products, renewable energy, and construction materials, have expressed interest in participating in the SEZ. The minister affirmed the government’s full support for the initiative, highlighting its potential to develop high value-added production in Kazakhstan.

A major agricultural initiative valued at $20 million is underway in Kazakhstan, where the country’s first olive plantations have been established. By 2025, the total cultivated area is expected to reach 100 hectares.

Laying the Groundwork for Investment

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture, Aidarbek Saparov, recently met with George Svanidze, President of Global Olive Corporation, to discuss the ongoing implementation of the olive cultivation and olive oil production project.

Launched in 2023, the project is a joint effort involving Kazakh companies QVM Technology, Ordabasy Group, and Ervira, in partnership with Georgia’s Olive Georgia. Initial pilot plantations were established in the Zhetysu, Turkestan, and Mangistau regions, where over 6,000 olive seedlings were planted, an effort that achieved a remarkable 99.7% survival rate.

From Pilot Plantings to Industrial Production

In spring 2024, the project expanded with new seedlings imported from Spain and Turkey. By the end of 2025, the cultivated area is expected to reach 100 hectares, with the first harvest anticipated within five years.

Saparov emphasized the strategic value of the initiative, which aligns with Kazakhstan’s broader efforts to expand its food processing industry:

“Our goal is to increase the share of processed agricultural products to 70%. The development of the olive industry is strategically important for the agro-industrial complex. We are committed to providing comprehensive support for this project,” Saparov said.

Target: One Million Trees and Domestic Oil Production

George Svanidze outlined ambitious plans to establish a sustainable olive industry in Kazakhstan, including planting up to one million olive trees, constructing a modern olive oil production facility, and setting up a nursery for seedling propagation.

“We are ready to bring in international experts, train Kazakhstani agronomists, and share advanced technologies,” said Svanidze.

According to preliminary estimates, annual yields could reach 150,000 tons of olives, enabling the production of up to 30,000 tons of olive oil.

Kazakh partner QVM Technology confirmed the Ministry of Agriculture’s active support for the project. The meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and the preparation of a Road Map outlining the key implementation stages.

Exotic Crops on Kazakh Soil

Kazakhstan has previously experimented with cultivating non-native crops. In Turkestan region, bananas are grown successfully on a five-hectare plantation, yielding around 1,000 tons. Local authorities are also supporting efforts to expand tropical fruit cultivation, including mangoes and avocados, on a planned 90-hectare site.

These initiatives reflect Kazakhstan’s commitment to modernizing its agricultural sector, diversifying crop production, and enhancing both food security and export potential.