Kazakhstan’s trade with Central Asia reaches $4.6B in 2020: Official

NUR-SULTAN, Jul 21, 2021, EU Reporter. Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with the Central Asian countries amounted to US$4.6 billion in 2020, said Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov at a 13 July press briefing, writes Assel Satubaldina in Central Asia, EU Reporter reported.

To test the regional commodity distribution system, an agricultural caravan train will be formed.

Kazakhstan’s largest trade partner in the region is Uzbekistan. In 2020, Kazakhstan’s exports made nearly $2.1bn, including wheat, oil, and metal products. Kazakhstan’s biggest imports within the region also come from Uzbekistan, reaching $783.1 million in 2020.

In four months of 2021, trade between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan totaled $1.2bn, 41.3% more than the previous year. Exports from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan also grew 54%, reaching $899.2m.

“We supply around $800m to Tajikistan – wheat, natural gas, oil products, and coal. And $562m to Kyrgyzstan. We import textiles, construction materials, and, of course, seasonal fruit and vegetable products,” said Sultanov.

In four months of 2021, trade between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan amounted to $335.9m, a 17.2% increase compared to the same period in 2020.

Kazakhstan mostly imports fruits and vegetables, bread and confectionery as well as mineral water.

In June, Sultanov and his delegation made a working trip to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, where Kazakh businesses signed six contracts worth $3m for the pilot supply of products.

The sides also discussed the establishment of trade routes to facilitate regional trade.

“The main thing is our mutual desire to work together and address any problems that arise. We are not talking only about imports. Local suppliers asked us to organize the delivery of Kazakh products that were in demand,” wrote Sultanov on his social media account.