Agricultural Export - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 28

Kyrgyzstan Seeks to Boost Food Exports to EU Markets

Kyrgyzstan is set to increase its agricultural exports to the European Union following an agreement with British certification company Intertek. Minister of Economy and Commerce Daniyar Amangeldiev recently met with Jeremy Gaspar, Vice President for Government and Trade Services at Intertek, in Berlin to discuss the initiative. The agreement will help Kyrgyz companies certify their products according to international standards, significantly improving their competitiveness in EU markets. The Ministry of Economy is optimistic that this collaboration will expand the country's export capacity while modernizing its quality assurance systems. Beyond agriculture, the ministry is also exploring certification opportunities for the manufacturing sector, particularly Kyrgyzstan's garment industry, which holds significant potential for international growth. As part of the next phase of the project, Intertek experts will visit Kyrgyzstan to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the country's laboratories and certification infrastructure. Intertek, a global leader in product certification and quality control, will work closely with local authorities to align Kyrgyzstan’s systems with international standards. “A visit by Intertek specialists will mark a crucial step in modernizing our laboratories and integrating Kyrgyzstan’s national certification framework into global quality assurance practices,” the ministry stated. Last month, a Kyrgyz delegation visited an Intertek laboratory in Bremen, Germany, to review European methodologies and initiate arrangements for European specialists to visit Kyrgyzstan. These specialists will evaluate the functionality of Kyrgyz laboratories and recommend improvements to ensure compliance with EU requirements. Kyrgyzstan views this partnership as a critical step toward enhancing the quality and competitiveness of its export products, ultimately strengthening its presence in international markets.

China Russia Agriculture Grain Agricultural Export EAEU Grain export

Kazakhstan Limits Re-Export of Russian Grain to Uzbekistan and China

Kazakhstan has imposed restrictions on the re-export of Russian grain to Uzbekistan and China, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced. The move aligns with Kazakhstan’s ban on wheat imports from Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, which will remain in effect until the end of 2024. The restriction was outlined in Bektenov's response to a parliamentary inquiry. He explained that the decision aims to protect Kazakhstan’s domestic agricultural market, citing concerns about maintaining local production. During a meeting of the Kazakhstan-Russia intergovernmental commission, Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia’s federal agricultural oversight agency, raised issues related to the restrictions. The commission recommended that authorities expedite the removal of these measures, highlighting their impact on bilateral agricultural trade. Bektenov noted that these restrictions were critical to safeguarding Kazakhstan’s domestic market. “To protect the domestic market, Kazakhstan banned wheat imports from EAEU countries until the end of 2024. This ban limits the re-export of Russian grain to Uzbekistan and China,” he stated. In addition to the re-export ban, Kazakhstan has raised unified tariffs for the transit of goods across its territory for EAEU countries. Notably, the tariff for transporting Russian grain to Kyrgyzstan through Kazakhstan has doubled this year, further impacting regional trade dynamics.

Food Security Food industry Turkey China Agriculture Agricultural Export Export International trade

Turkey Ready to Buy Kazakh Meat at Twice the Price Offered by China

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture is actively working to open the Turkish market to Kazakh meat exports. Deputy Minister Amangaly Berdalin reported that Turkish partners are willing to pay twice as much for Kazakh beef as China. The Ministry of Agriculture has previously pursued access to the Chinese market for Kazakh livestock products. In February, Beijing lifted restrictions on Kazakh livestock imports, potentially enabling Kazakhstan’s southeastern regions to resume exports of frozen beef and pork to China. However, significant export volumes to China have yet to materialize. Maksut Baktibayev, head of the Meat Union of Kazakhstan, explained that the agreement between the countries only allows exports from four meat processing plants in Kazakhstan, with a combined capacity of 8,000 tons of frozen beef. According to Berdalin, Kazakh producers are not utilizing even this limited capacity due to uncompetitive pricing. Chinese buyers offer $5.5 per kilogram of Kazakh beef, which is comparable to prices in Kazakhstan’s domestic market, ranging from 2,700 to 3,000 tenge ($5.4 to $6.1) per kilogram. Given these figures, transporting Kazakh meat to China is economically unviable for producers. In contrast, Turkey is prepared to pay nearly double, or $11 per kilogram, for Kazakh beef. "Our ministry’s objective is to open as many markets as possible for our producers, particularly those offering attractive prices,” Berdalin stated at the Vet Astana 2024 International Exhibition on Feed and Veterinary in Astana. “That is why our inspectors are actively collaborating with Turkish officials to understand their export requirements.” Berdalin noted that while specific export volumes of Kazakh beef to Turkey are not yet determined, there is optimism following a recent diplomatic visit. In August, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov visited Ankara, where business representatives from both countries signed contracts to supply Kazakh meat to Turkey, valued at $80 million over the coming years, contingent on Kazakhstan’s successful completion of required veterinary and epidemiological procedures. The Turkish market has historically been closed to most Kazakh livestock products due to restrictions related to animal diseases, with some bans in place for approximately 20 years. Turkish authorities lifted these restrictions in June 2024. Kazakh producers are now navigating an extensive certification process to gain market access. Some required tests must be conducted in third countries, prompting Kazakhstan to rebuild its own laboratory capabilities. Berdalin shared that the Kazakh government has allocated 3.8 billion tenge ($7.7 million) this year to support veterinary laboratories. "To export to a country, we must meet all its import requirements. For instance, to export our honey, we need to conduct 43 specific tests. Currently, we handle 20 in-house, but the remaining 23 are outsourced to laboratories in Latvia and Georgia,” Berdalin explained. In addition to Turkey, the Ministry of Agriculture is working to open European markets for Kazakh meat. Last year, Kazakhstan exported over 53,000 tons of meat and meat products valued at $153 million. Poultry was the largest export category, at nearly 32,000 tons, followed by beef at 15,800 tons. Primary export destinations included Uzbekistan, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Iran,...

Agriculture Agricultural Export harvest Agricultural Produce Grain export Grain

Kazakhstan Begins Export of New Harvest Grain

Kazakhstan has begun exporting grain from the new harvest, which totaled 26.6 million tons this year, 56% higher than in 2023. In September-October, Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), transported 1.8 million tons of grain for export, 48% more than in the same period last year (1.2 million tons). During the two months, grain exports to Uzbekistan amounted to 738,000 tons (49% more than in September-October 2023), and 298,000 tons were shipped to Tajikistan (a 48% increase). Increasing grain exports were also reported to China, Afghanistan, Iran, and Kyrgyzstan. The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture expects a significant increase in grain exports in the first half of 2025. According to KTZ, Afghanistan is ready to import about 200,000 tons of Kazakh grain, which will be transported via Turkmenistan. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan plans to export about 12 million tons of the new harvest grain to traditional markets—Central Asia and Afghanistan—and new ones, such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia. Uzbekistan remains the primary importer of Kazakh grain, followed by Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and China.

Agricultural Export International trade Wheat export Grain export Russia Agriculture

Grain War: Has Kazakhstan Become Russia’s Victim?

The fall brought two headaches for Kazakhstani farmers: a rich grain harvest that coincided with an oversupply of grain on world markets, and Russia's ban on exporting Kazakh wheat to and transiting through Russia. Experts complain about the 40% failure of Kazakhstani grain exports, and representatives of farmer associations complain about low prices and high production costs and ask the government to buy their surplus products. The background is talk of a grain war between Moscow and Astana. Phytosanitary ban According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture, this year the harvested area of crops amounted to 23.3 million hectares, of which 16.7 million were sown with cereals. Fieldwork has been completed by 99.7%. 26.5 million tons of grain were threshed. Proponents of the opinion that the agricultural authorities of Kazakhstan and Russia have entered into a hidden confrontation for external grain markets argue that Kazakhstan is a victim of this trade war. They cite the restrictions imposed by Rosselkhoznadzor in October as evidence. On October 1, the Russian agency asked Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture to suspend the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for grain and its products, tomatoes, peppers, and sunflower seeds exported to the Russian Federation. On October 3, journalists asked Vice-Minister of Agriculture Ermek Kenzhekhanuly about the stage of fulfillment of this wish. He replied that the Russian side received a reply letter requesting evidence of phytosanitary control violations. According to him, Rosselkhoznadzor had not responded as of October 3. On October 17, the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance temporarily banned imports of several types of agricultural goods from Kazakhstan. Transit of wheat, lentils, and oilseed flax seeds through Russia's territory is allowed. Still, a phytosanitary certificate for the country of final destination must be issued, and grain must be transshipped directly from railcars into the ship's holds. At the same time, deliveries of tomatoes, peppers, sunflower seeds, and melons from Kazakhstan are prohibited, even for transit. Obstacles in response to the ban However, let's carefully review the Kazakhstani press. We will find that as early as September 3rd, Kazakhstani farmers sounded the alarm—Russia is pushing our grain out of traditional markets. Representatives of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan discussed the problems Kazakh traders face with the transit of domestic grain through the territory of the Russian Federation at a session with journalists at the Agricom forum. However, they cited only two cases of such restrictions but tried to convey another message—Russia has introduced hidden obstacles because of Kazakhstan's ban on grain imports from the Russian Federation, which was imposed as early as August 1. As reported by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture, the restrictions imply a complete ban on wheat imports by all modes of transportation. Previously, the restrictive measures provided for a ban on imports of goods by road, water, and rail (except for imports to poultry and flour mills) since April. The decision was made because, despite the previous ban, grain imports from Russia exceeded 1.1 million tons in six months. Experts considered...

Agricultural Import Agricultural Produce Agricultural Export Agriculture

Kazakhstan Bans Apple Imports to Support Domestic Producers

The government of Kazakhstan has temporarily banned the import of apples into the country by motor transport until the end of the year. The decision to introduce the ban was made and announced late in August, but the ban took effect on October 8. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the ban will last during harvest to support domestic apple production. The move will allow domestic gardeners to sell apples at reasonable prices. During the off-season, apple imports will not be restricted. The government of Kazakhstan has taken support measures in the form of subsidies and preferential loans to develop domestic apple production. As a result, over the past five years, the domestic supply of apples has increased from 62.9% in 2019 to 80% in 2023. At the same time, local farmers are experiencing dumping from foreign producers. High competition with imported products reduces the profitability of domestic producers. With the parallel import of apples during harvest, Kazakhstanis need help selling their products. From January to July 2024, Kazakhstan imported about 107,000 tons of apples, 58% more than in the same period in 2023, from Poland, Iran, Uzbekistan, and China. During that period, apple imports from China increased 18-fold and from Iran — sevenfold. The ban does not apply to imports from fellow members of the Eurasian Economic Union—Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia—or to the international transit of apples through Kazakhstan's territory. Kazakhstan is the birthplace of apples — particularly the famous aport apples, which grow in the Almaty region. Translated from Kazakh, Almaty means “place of abundance of apples.”