At a meeting with representatives of the European Commission in Brussels, agriculture minister Yerbol Karashukeev discussed the prospects for organic food exports to the European Union (EU), QazMonitor reports.
The minister noted that the EU accounts for about 30% of Kazakhstan's foreign trade. In 2022, the turnover of agricultural products grew by 35.6% to $995.5 million. During the same period, the country’s agriculture sector managed to increase exports of flax, wheat, canola, and processed cereals.
The parties also reached a commercial agreement for the purchase of Kazakh fish products with France and Switzerland. Over the past year, Kazakhstan's fish exports showed a positive dynamic, increasing by almost one and a half times and amounting to 8,700 tons.
This entire volume was distributed to the markets of Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Austria, and Germany
Kazakhstan also has the potential to supply the European market with honey, horsemeat, beef, and dairy products.
Regarding trade development between Kazakhstan and the EU member-states, Karashukeyev spoke about possible amendments to the European legislation prohibiting the use of antimicrobials for preventative purposes. The ban created difficulties for the export of breeding stock from European countries to Kazakhstan.
The minister suggested amending bilateral veterinary certificates and developing joint measures to minimize the risks of importing animal diseases to Kazakhstan.
At the present time, the country has imported more than 57,000 heads of breeding cattle from European countries.
