As announced last week at the first Kazakh-Chinese grain forum in China, the volume of cargo transportation between Kazakhstan and China in 2023 increased by 22% compared to 2022. Reaching a record high of over 28 million tons, the total includes 12.6 million tons of Kazakhstan’s export, 35% more than in 2022.
During their visit, the Kazakh delegation toured China’s new terminal in the bonded zone of the Alashankou station for unloading grain and vegetable oils, and according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, agreements were reached by both sides regarding transportation technicalities and increasing the throughput of Kazakh agricultural products.
Nurzhan Kelbuganov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Railway and Water Transport at the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, commented, “Today, the main crops supplied by Kazakhstan to China are barley and wheat. In 2023, after the pandemic, it was possible to resume transportation to China, which allowed for a 2.5-fold increase in Kazakh grain exports. Hence, in 2021, about 347 thousand tons were exported [to China], in 2022 — 747 thousand tons, and in 2023 — over 2.2 million tons.”
