GOVERNMENT: Kazakhstan to diversify agricultural exports

At a meeting of the Government Prime Minister Karim Massimov has given an instruction to prepare amendments to the budget taking into account the President's instructions voiced at the enlarged session of the Government on February 10.
At the same sitting Yerbolat Dossayev, National Economy Minister, has introduced an additional package of anti-crisis measures.
A special council under the leadership of Prime Minister Massimov will be created in the country to strengthen work to improve the investment climate. There has been already developed a plan providing the improvement of tax and judicial administration, simplification of migration issues and reduction of administrative barriers. The council will include experts of several major international banks.
According to the Ministry for Investment and Development, in 10 years the country has attracted more than $215 billion of investment. In the period since 2005 Kazakhstan has attracted more than $215 billion. Basically, it was an investment in extractive industries. However, in the recent years foreign investors express interest towards manufacturing sector. Thus, about 74% of all foreign investment in the manufacturing sector was made within the years of the state program of industrial-innovative development adopted on behalf of the Head of State.
Kazakh PM Karim Massimov held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev. The parties have discussed the current state and prospects of trade and economic cooperation as well as the implementation of the transit potential of the two countries.
During his trip to Mangystau region First Deputy PM Bakhytzhan Sagintayev has visited Aktau international sea trading port. He also paid a working visit to Azerbaijani seaports Alyatakh and Baku. The sides discussed the issues concerning the transit potential of the two countries.
Deputy Prime Minister Sagintayev has met with the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Artur Rasizade.
B.Sagintayev also traveled to Georgia where he held talks with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Minister of Economic Affairs Dimitry Kumsishvili on transit transport issues.
The Trans-Caspian route was one of the main topics of discussions held between representatives of the Georgian and Kazakh governments. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan have agreed to establish a railway consortium to ensure smooth movement of Chinese goods to Europe via the Trans-Caspian International Transport route.
At an expanded meeting of the collegium of the Ministry of Agriculture B.Sagintayev said that China has made a decision on importing organic products from Kazakhstan (grain, meat, honey, vegetable oil and dairy products). At the same time the Chinese side proposes to establish joint ventures in Kazakhstan which will produce agricultural products for export to China.