Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 26
By Ali Mustafayev – Trend:
Iran is expanding its cooperation with Kazakhstan on meat supplies. The governments of the two countries work on meat production in Kazakhstan and its further transportation to Iran, investing money in Kazakh regions.
Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region produced 102 tons of meat products during 9 months of 2017, most of which was exported to Bahrain and Iran, the local executive body said in a message.
The Merken meat-packing plant in Zhambyl region processes meat of 200 cattle heads and 1,000 small cattle heads.
Kazakhstan also verified the certificates for export of products to Iran, China and the UAE. The measures taken by the Kazakh government aim to increase the country’s exports.
Previously, Iranian businessmen announced their intention to open a plant for waste-free meat processing in Eastern Kazakhstan. The plant is expected to process small and large cattle meat as well as produce canned meat and sausage products.
The head of the region, Danial Akhmetov, stressed that all the necessary infrastructure will be provided for the Iranian partners. The work on allocation of land is expected to be completed immediately after the signing of relevant documents. The project will be approved in the beginning of 2018.
The funds that the Iranian entrepreneurs invest in several Kazakh regions demonstrate the strategic importance of Kazakhstan as Iran’s trade partner. In recent years the level of trade turnover between the two countries was changing, going up and down, but now it seems to have reached a stable level.
Kazakhstan’s exports to Iran amounted to $892.503 million in 2014, $565.791 million in 2015 and $550.518 million in 2016. In the first half of 2017, the export amounted to $239.756 million and it is expected to reach the level of the previous year.