ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 3. To boost the export volumes of Kazakh goods to Afghanistan, alternative and more favorable routes via Turkmenistan's territory are currently being explored, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin said, Trend reports.
During a conversation with Afghanistan's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Haji Nooruddin Azizi, he said this:
He claims that the Kazakh railway firm is assiduously attempting to obtain extra discounts for the transit tariff via Turkmenistan's territory via the Turkmeno-Afghan border at Turgundi, totaling 10% more than the current 30%.
In addition, Zhumaarin stressed during the discussion the joint resolve to achieve the ambitious $3 billion trade volume target agreed upon during their April visit to Kabul, up from the current level of $1 billion.
Notably, a significant portion of Kazakhstan's exports to Afghanistan consist of processed products, accounting for 90 percent of the total trade. There have been noteworthy developments in the diversification of the trade portfolio, which now includes not only traditional goods like flour and wheat but also deliveries of Kazakh metal products, mineral fertilizers, rye, and flax.
Following a recent visit of Kazakh companies to Kabul, the first shipments of energy drinks, pasta products, mineral fertilizers, and interest in sunflower oil exports were successfully initiated. Moreover, textile imports from Afghanistan have entered the market alongside agricultural products, the minister said.
Over the years, Kazakhstan has seen substantial investment inflows from Afghanistan, totaling approximately $11.7 million since 2005. The two nations have successfully established 52 joint ventures, mainly focused on trade-related activities.