Kazakhstan exporters intend to expand pork exports to China

According to the report of the Kazakhstan News Agency, Kazakhstan held a relevant meeting on the 21st to study and discuss the issue of expanding meat exports to China. According to forecast data, China's demand for meat will increase significantly in the next few years.

Hailat Baalkhbayev, Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration, said at the meeting that according to the forecasts of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, by 2031, China's beef consumption will increase by 1.1 million tons, and imports will increase by 1.1 million tons. An increase of 800,000 tons. Meat prices are expected to rise. In August 2022 alone, pork prices rose by 22.5%.

It is reported that in 2021, China's food imports will increase by 28.8%. At present, Brazil, the United States and Thailand are China's three major sources of food imports. Meat products rank among the top three food import products.

In 2022, Kazakhstan's food exports to China will increase by 3.6 times, reaching approximately US$254 million. China's share of all food exports from Kazakhstan is 13.5%. Last year, a total of 152 companies exported food from Kazakhstan to China. Among them, oil, bran, feed, and candy products account for 99%.

At present, domestic exporters intend to expand exports of chilled fresh meat, fish, poultry, pork, eggs, etc. to China. However, the pandemic has seriously hindered the further strengthening of trade relations. Since the end of 2019, no new import and export agreements or memorandums of understanding have been concluded between the two countries, and many Kazakh companies are waiting for the results of the importer registration application.

In addition, since Kazakhstan discovered foot-and-mouth disease in 2021, the export of frozen beef and mutton to China has been suspended. It is expected that in April this year, the new delegation will arrive in Kazakhstan.