Kazakhstan set to increase meat exports to Iran
January 05, 2018 - Veterinary requirements for the supply of live sheep, frozen and chilled lamb from Kazakhstan were agreed with Iran, announced Kazakh Vice Minister of Agriculture Nurzhan Altayev.
As a result, in 2017, for the first time, the exports of live sheep and lamb were launched, Kazinform reported.
"At the beginning of the new year, the requirements for beef and live cattle will be coordinated. We also managed to agree on special conditions for wheat exports to Iran, in connection with its ban on imports. A contract for the supply of wheat was signed between Food Corporation JSC and Iranian companies," Altayev said.
The growth in exports of Kazakh agricultural products amounted to 11 percent in 2017, thus showing an increase from $1.58 billion up to $1.75 billion compared the amount for 2016.
In particular, in 2017, in comparison with the previous year, exports of frozen beef increased by twofold, lamb by 7.2 times, oil crops (flax, rapeseed, sunflower and other oilseeds) on average by 1.6 times and vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower or cotton) by twofold.
Kazakhstan is working on a special road map for developing its export of agricultural products, said the Kazakh official.
“We set ourselves the task of investigating the situation, understanding the problems and finding ways to solve them. We held brainstorms in the format of seminars with the participation of all parties - business, government officials, experts and so on,” Altayev said.
Analytic structures and scientists were also involved in the study of export issues.
"Following the results of the study of the export issues, we are working on a special roadmap for developing the export of agricultural products," he said.
At the same time, to date, Kazakhstan has opened new markets for products that were never exported before. In particular, protocols were signed with China on fish products, pedigree horses, frozen lamb, honey, wheat, wheat bran and soybeans.