The first meeting to develop a conceptual document comprehensively covering aspects of the state and directions of development of domestic and foreign trade policy of Kazakhstan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Trade of Integration Serik Zhumangarin held with representatives of the Damu fund, Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, associations of trade enterprises of Kazakhstan, union of trade networks, trade markets, pharmacy chains, major retailers, the Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs and other participants of Kazakhstan trade markets.

"As many of you already know, today we are changing the financing schemes for producers of socially important food products, we are analyzing the whole chain of the commodity supply system of the country. We are waiting for proposals from you, and as soon as possible, so that together we can develop a concept for the development of Kazakhstan's trade policy. This should be a working document, it cannot be created without your participation," Serik Zhumangarin addressed the meeting participants.

The second important aspect is that now a single strategy for the development of cross-border hubs is being developed, in this direction the Ministry of Trade has done a lot of work in recent years. Barriers to entering foreign markets, potential goods for export, exporting companies, the amount of investment needed, raw materials and many other key elements of foreign trade are identified. 

"Now we are discussing all the ideas, even the seemingly unbelievable at first glance. And we will actively discuss all these plans, opportunities with the business community," said Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin.  

 At the meeting a lot of comments and suggestions were made by the business community.

Marina Boshel, Director of Karaganda Region Representative Office of Association of Trade Enterprises of Kazakhstan, which unites convenience stores, said that convenience stores can hardly be called a business, for the most part they are self-employed people. 

From the side of big business there were sounded urgent questions of interaction with the state bodies, with representatives of trade networks there were discussed possibilities of development of near house format and their franchising, especially in the regions of Kazakhstan. At the end of the meeting it was agreed to continue the started work in focus groups.

In Kazakhstan, the trade sector is one of the key sectors of the national economy, which accounts for 14.2% of Kazakhstan's GDP according to data for the first half of 2022, and employs over 1.4 million people.