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Kazakhstan eyes expanding fish products' export

Business Materials 18 August 2020 17:40 (UTC +04:00)
Kazakhstan eyes expanding fish products' export

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstan exports 30 thousand tons of fish products worth about $60 million to 36 countries of the near and far abroad annually, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Magzum Mirzagaliyev said, Trend reports with reference to the press office of Kazakhstan’s prime minister.

Mirzagaliyev said that the total volume of the fish and fish products market in 2019 amounted to about 66,000 tons.

“Kazakhstan imports ocean fish and seafood. These are herring, mackerel, shrimp, mussels and other species. Imports are made from Norway, Russia, Iceland, China and the Baltic countries. In turn, Kazakhstan annually exports 30,000 tons of fish products worth about $60 million to 36 countries of the near and far abroad,” he said.

Mirzagaliyev added that Kazakhstan mainly exports fish fillets, dried-smoked products and frozen fish carcasses.

“For example, pike perch fillet is a Kazakh brand in the countries of the European Union such as Germany and the Netherlands, dried-smoked products are exported to Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, China and other countries. At the same time, there still are potential markets to expand export,” Mirzagaliyev said.

He added that Kazakhstan is characterized by low per capita fish consumption.

“Thus, if the WHO recommends consuming at least 16 kg of fish products per year per person, while in Kazakhstan, this figure doesn't exceed 4 kg per person. In turn, 20-40 kg per person are consumed in neighboring Russia and China, respectively. Thus, taking this into account the potential niche for the export of fish products could be more than three million tons,” he said.

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