At the invitation of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on July 10-12 this year, the Minister of Agriculture of the PRC is paying a visit to Astana. Within the framework of the visit, a bilateral meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Agriculture A. Myrzakhmetov with Minister of Agriculture of China Han Changfu, as well as the Kazakhstan-China Agrarian Investment Forum was held.

The bilateral meeting discussed topical issues of the development of Kazakh-Chinese cooperation in agriculture, including joint investment projects, development of organic and veterinary science.

The Ministers of Agriculture of the two countries also opened the Kazakhstan-China Agrarian Investment Forum, the work of which saw the participation of more than 100 representatives of business, education and science from both sides.

The People’s Republic of China is one of Kazakhstan’s most important strategic partners both regarding the economy in general and specifically in the growth and development of the agro-industrial complex.

The importance of cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China in attracting investments and developing the processing of agricultural products was stressed within the framework of the meeting held between the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and Chairman of the PRC Xi Jinping in Astana in June this year.

The need for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the processing of agricultural products was reflected in the new AIC Development State Program of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2017-2021, launched in February of this year.

In the course of the Forum, 7 documents were signed in the field of cooperation in trade and attracting investments to the AIC amounting to 160 million USD. Thus, “The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on creating a model zone of agricultural cooperation on the basis of NAO National Agricultural Research and Education Center, which will aid in creating joint processing productions and introducing innovations in agriculture,” – A. Myrzakhmetov noted.

Agreements were also signed between JSC NC Food Contract Corporation and Chinese companies on supplying Kazakh agricultural products to China:

• Agreement on cooperation and trade in grain and oilseeds with Xi'an Aijugrain & OilIndustry Group Co Ltd;
• Agreement on cooperation and trade in cereals with the company Xinjiang Zhaofenghe Biotechnology Co., LTD;
• Memorandum on cooperation and trade with Zhongxinjian LLC.

This will allow supplying 200 thousand tonnes of cereals and 100 thousand tonnes of oilseeds to the PRC, as well as creating a terminal for storing the above crops in the border area.

Zhannur-Astana Group LLP and the Chinese company Tianyang Yinhai Seed Company Henan Province signed a Memorandum on cooperation, which allows creating on the territory of Kazakhstan a full cycle of processing of grain crops, including a transfer of technologies in the field of seed production.

It should be noted that a number of joint investment projects in the processing of rapeseed oil, milk, meat, tomatoes and other agricultural products are currently being implemented in our country in the framework of previously signed agreements. In addition, in the framework of cooperation with Citic Group, preparatory work is underway to implement the two largest projects for processing grain and wheat straw.

In addition, JSC S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University signed agreements with the Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry of China on establishing a joint agricultural technology park and with the Chinese potato company XISEN on establishing a joint experimental demonstration plant for growing potatoes.

For reference:

In the period from January to April 2017, the turnover of agricultural products and products of agricultural processing between Kazakhstan and China increased 14.5% compared to the same period in 2016 and amounted to 113.2 million USD. At the same time, the export of agricultural goods from Kazakhstan to China increased (7.7% from 57.2 to 61.6 million USD), as well as imports of Chinese goods (23.7% from 41.7 to 51.6 million USD).

The Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and GAQSIQ signed 6 protocols on simplifying procedures for export of wheat, live pedigree horses, soya beans, wheat bran, honey, small cattle meat:

• On phytosanitary requirements for export batches of wheat from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People's Republic of China (December 14, 2015, Beijing).
• On the quarantine and health protection requirements for equine horses (pedigree horses) exported from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People's Republic of China (September 2, 2016, Hangzhou).
• On phytosanitary requirements for export batches of soybeans from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People's Republic of China (September 2, 2016, Hangzhou).
• On phytosanitary requirements for export batches of wheat bran from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People's Republic of China (March 31, 2017, Beijing).
• On inspection, quarantine and sanitary requirements for honey exported from Kazakhstan to China (May 14, 2017, Beijing).
• On inspection, quarantine and veterinary and sanitary requirements for frozen meats of small cattle exported from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People's Republic of China (June 8, 2017, Astana).