Kazakhstan and Iran set to sign deals worth 1 bln US dollars
Director General of the QazTrade trade policy development center Ayitmukhammed Aldazharov spoke about Kazakhstan’s export potential to Iran on the margins of the Business Forum in Astana, Qazinform News Agency reports.
He said strong foundations have been laid for the development of export products. First of all, there is a favorable agreement that allows free trade with Iran. This enabled to increase exports by about 40 percent this year. The main export goods are grain, barley, and wheat, with growth also seen in products such as oils and confectionery.
He noted that demand for Kazakhstan’s vegetable oil and fat industry is rising, with partner requests even exceeding the country’s current production capacity.
To strengthen Kazakhstan’s position in the global market, QazTrade, together with the International Trade Center and the Association of Oil Processors, has developed a Roadmap for the Development of the Oil and Fat Industry. The goal is to rank among the top three global suppliers of oil and increase exports to 1 billion US dollars, up from the current level of about 560 million US dollars.
Aldazharov emphasized that the key task now is to develop logistics routes.
Today, QazTrade and Iran’s Chamber of Commerce are set to sign an agreement to create a so-called transport corridor zone. It will cover key points in our ports, northern ports, and southern ports of Iran, giving Kazakhstan access to the Persian Gulf and North Africa.
He added that eight commercial agreements worth about 1 billion US dollars are to be signed as part of the Forum.
Notably, Kazakhstan ready to supply goods worth at least $200mn to Iran.
