ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 18. Russia plans to increase the sugar quota for Kazakhstan by another 100,000 tons ahead of the summer peak of consumption, Trend reports.
The corresponding agreement was reached at a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government Alexei Overchuk, held in Kazan (Russia).
On May 3, 2024, the government of Russia adopted a resolution introducing a temporary ban on the export of sugar until August 31 of this year. A volume of 120,000 tons is provided for Kazakhstan.
According to the government of Kazakhstan, despite a sufficient amount of reserves in warehouses in the country, on the eve of summer, the peak season for sugar consumption, the Kazakh side raised the issue of increasing the sugar supply quota by another 100,000 tons.
At the meeting, a preliminary agreement was reached. The issue will now be considered on May 29 at a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Commission Council.
Also at the meeting, the issue of increasing the number of checkpoints for the transportation of lumber from Russia to Kazakhstan was raised. Currently, the export of lumber by road is permitted only through six automobile checkpoints on the Kazakh-Russian border. Following the meeting in Kazan, the Russian side expressed its readiness to open four more checkpoints in the near future.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed the construction of the second stage of the Shulbinskaya HPP, the creation of a master plan for the use of Irtysh waters, and other issues.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's trade turnover with Russia amounted to $25.9 billion from January through December 2023, which is 3.7 percent less than in 2022.
At the same time, in the structure of trade turnover, exports to Russia for the above period amounted to $9.78 billion, which is 7.6 percent more than 2022 ($9.09 billion).
In addition, imports from Russia from January through December 2023 decreased by 9.4 percent and amounted to $16.2 billion. In 2022, imports amounted to $17.9 billion.