WNAM REPORT: Kazakhstan and China discussed grain export issues, Kazinform News Agency reports citing the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of Aidarbek Saparov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture, and Wang Jianjun, Director of the Department of Economy and Trade of China’s National Development and Reforms Commission.
Aidarbek Saparov noted that cooperation in agricultural sector was an important component of the Kazakh-Chinese relations.
At the end of 2023, bilateral turnover of agricultural products increased 1.7 times and hit $1.3 billion. In January-June 2024, agricultural trade turnover between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the PRC amounted to $648.1 million, which is 12% more than in the same period in 2023, including exports – $460 million, and imports – $188 million.
“Kazakhstan is interested in exporting agricultural products, namely grain, to the Chinese market. As part of the agreements reached between our presidents and the tasks set, the volume of grain export will be increased to 2 million tons. We are ready to supply 3 million tons of grain and, in general, to create favorable conditions for a mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in this area,” the Kazakh Minister stressed.
In turn, Wang Jianjun noted that the purpose of his delegation’s visit to Kazakhstan was to negotiate the use of grain trade potential between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the PRC.
“Kazakhstan is a strategic partner and major supplier of grain. We intend to determine the volume of imports and would like to make these supplies constant,” said Wang Jianjun.
The meeting also discussed the issues of development of the Kazakh-Chinese grain trade cooperation and logistics.
So far, Kazakhstan has signed protocols on export of 28 types of crop and livestock products to the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, the register of enterprises eligible for exporting to China includes 1,990 Kazakhstani exporter companies. Of them, 1,948 are crop production enterprises and 42 are livestock products manufacturing enterprises.