Kazakh meat and poultry exporters are interested in selling their products in China, QazMonitor reports.
Potential export goods to China include chilled meat, fish products, poultry and its by-products, pork, eggs, and other types of goods.
According to OECD-FAO forecasts, China's consumption of meat products will increase in the coming years.
“Beef consumption in China will increase by 1.1 million tons by 2031, and imports will increase by 0.8 million tons,” said Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Kairat Torebayev at a meeting. “The price of all types of meat is also expected to increase. In August 2022 alone, the price of pork rose by 22.5%.”
In 2021, imports of all food products in China increased by 28.8%. The top 3 food suppliers to the country are Brazil, the U.S., and Thailand. Meanwhile, meat products are among the top 3 imported products.
Exports of Kazakh food products to China increased by 3.6 times in 2022, amounting to about $254 million. A total of 152 enterprises exported food products from Kazakhstan to China last year with 99% of exports being oils, bran, fodder, and confectionery products.
Several hindrances, including the global pandemic, had temporarily inhibited the strengthening of bilateral trade relations. Since the end of 2019, no new protocols and memorandums have been signed between the countries, and a number of Kazakh enterprises are waiting to be included in the registers of importers.
Additionally, the discovery of foot-and-mouth diseases in Kazakhstan in 2021 has suspended exports of frozen beef and lamb to China. In April of this year, an inspection team is expected to arrive in Kazakhstan to make a final decision.
