Dairy to South Korea and horse meat to Japan: what and where else Kazakhstan exports
Kazakhstan's agricultural exports are being actively developed, which is bolstering its position in the global market and expanding the geography of supplies. The nation exports a diverse array of goods, such as livestock, honey, dairy products, sausages, and preserved goods, to over a number of partner countries, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Kazakhstan exports animals to nations including the EAEU, CIS, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, China, Mongolia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, including cattle, small livestock, horses, and camels. The same countries, as well as Türkiye, receive honey and beekeeping products, poultry products, and basic materials, such as skins and feed.
Sausages, preserved goods, offal, dairy products, and fish are being exported to the EAEU, CIS, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, South Korea, and China. The EAEU, CIS, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Japan are the destinations of livestock exports, which include beef, lamb, pork, and horse flesh.
The total turnover of agricultural products in Kazakhstan was $11.3 billion in 2023, a slight decrease from the $11.5 billion recorded in 2022. The volume of exports was $5.35 billion, which represents a 5% decrease from 2022. Simultaneously, Kazakhstan's agricultural exports comprised approximately 7% of the total volume of products exported.
Russia, Uzbekistan, China, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan comprise Kazakhstan's top five agricultural trading partners. In 2023 trade turnover with Russia was $3.46 billion, $1.71 billion with Uzbekistan, and $1.3 billion with China. The total turnover of agricultural products with the SCO member states in 2023 was $7.7 billion, which is equivalent to 68% of the total volume of agricultural trade in Kazakhstan in 2022.
Kazakhstan's cooperation with the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization should be given special consideration. About 70% of the country's total agricultural exports were accounted for by exports to the SCO countries, which surpassed $3.8 billion.
In a recent interview, Aidarbek Saparov, the Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, emphasized that Kazakhstan positions itself among the top 25 global food exporters, supplying its agricultural products to 80 countries, including the Central Asian states and the EAEU. In the last five years, agricultural exports have doubled, eventually reaching $5.4 billion. Kazakhstan is committed to doubling its export volumes by 2029, in order to further enhance its export figures.
“We intend to further increase the indicators. In the context of a growing food deficit, our country seeks to double the export of agricultural products by 2029. At the same time, we are actively changing the structure of our exports, giving preference to deeply processed products - the export of processed products has doubled over the past 5 years, reaching $ 2.3 billion (from $ 1.1 to $ 2.3 billion). We are interested in opening joint processing plants with localization in Kazakhstan. Open and transparent business will be supported. This is a great prospect for bringing our business circles closer together. Of course, these measures will strengthen food security both in Kazakhstan and in the EAEU countries,” said the minister.
Coordinating the veterinary and sanitary requirements for export with the veterinary services of importing countries is a critical prerequisite for the further development of trade potential. The Ministry is currently engaged in negotiations with countries such as the EU, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Gulf States in order to broaden the scope of exported products.
