ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 5. About 45 percent of raw materials for chemical production in Kazakhstan are exported without deep processing, said Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov at a government meeting, Trend reports.
According to him, Kazakhstan’s petrochemical industry is underutilizing its potential for deep processing of raw materials, which results in low output of complex, value-added products.
“In a context of price volatility for raw materials and oil, we must increase processing and enter foreign markets with finished products. Currently, about 45 percent of raw materials for chemical production are exported without deep processing. For example, approximately 800,000 tons of phosphorite raw material are exported from Kazakhstan annually. We need to create conditions for attracting private investment into new high-tech raw material processing projects,” the Prime Minister noted.
Bektenov also instructed the Ministries of Energy, Industry, National Economy, and Justice to submit a draft law on petrochemical development to the government by September 1.
According to government data, by the end of last year, chemical industry production increased by 7.7 percent, and the oil and gas chemical sector grew by more than 50 percent. Chemical product exports exceeded $2 billion, a 13 percent increase compared to 2023. This positive trend has continued into the first quarter of 2025, with the chemical industry showing 12.5 percent growth.
There are 12 major chemical and petrochemical enterprises operating in the country. They produce a wide range of products, including mineral fertilizers and inorganic and organic chemicals.
