Kazakhstan and China get to new level of agricultural cooperation
The negotiating parties discussed the issues of implementing the Joint Action Plan signed between the agricultural ministries of both countries in 2016, scientific and technological cooperation in agriculture, collaboration in South-South international program, establishment of inter-ministerial working group for scientific and technological cooperation, founding of joint quality inspection laboratories in Kazakhstan and certifying them in accordance with the legislation.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Gulmira Issayeva told Kazinform about the most important items of the negotiations.
"We pointed out the matters Kazakhstan is interested in. In return, Chinese party supported our suggestions and extended the list of cooperation lines. In that way, for instance, we suggested joint actions to involve both Kazakh and Chinese agricultural producers in agricultural exhibitions in the territories of two countries. Special measures of state support will be taken for that purpose", Issayeva said.
She thinks that China is interested in prospects for implementation of joint projects in fodder production.
She underlined that Kazakhstan is interested in China's suggestions as in the framework, since 2017-2021 State Program of Kazakhstan agricultural sector development intends to develop field mill industry as well.
"The Chinese party also showed interest in implementation of joint projects for advanced processing of medium wool. This will help to establish in Kazakhstan manufacturing facilities of such goods as in felt, felted fabric, etc. Unfortunately, Kazakhstan is presently capable of processing half-bred wool only, therefore this area of cooperation with China is interesting for us", Deputy Minister informed. "China once again expressed strong interest in cooperation in seed industry", she continued.
According to her, this meeting is a breakthrough in Kazakhstan and China agricultural cooperation.
"As both ministers highlighted, it is now a new start, a new level of cooperation. If earlier we spoke about opportunities, at this meeting we made specific decisions for specific items of cooperation. For instance, we made a decision to establish a joint working group and determined the accountable persons from both ministries", Kazakh Deputy Minister of Agriculture concluded.
It should be reminded that today Kazakhstan and China have signed the Protocol for inspection and quarantine requirements and sanitary requirements to exported installments of wheat bran. In 2017 Kazakhstan will export 60,000 tons of the mentioned agricultural raw materials to China.
More than 30 people constituted the Kazakh delegation including representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the heads of regional agricultural departments, KazAgro National Holding and its subsidiaries, National Agricultural Research and Education Centre, the heads of agricultural associations and businessmen.
The main purpose of the working trip is to implement President Nursultan Nazarbayev's Address to the Nation of Kazakhstan "The 3rd Modernization of Kazakhstan: Global Competitiveness" in terms of the assignments for attraction of foreign investments to agricultural sector, export of agricultural products and reaching mutually beneficial bilateral agreements.
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