ASTANA, Kazakhstan, July 23. The volume of foreign trade turnover in agricultural products between Kazakhstan and the EU countries for the first five months of 2025 recorded an increase of 11 percent, amounting to $662.2 million, said Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov during negotiations with the EU Ambassador Aleška Simkić, Trend reports.
During the constructive dialogue, the parties discussed priority
areas of trade and economic cooperation, issues of veterinary and
sanitary interaction, as well as prospects for the development of
investment partnership in the agro-industrial complex.
The minister expressed gratitude to the European Union for its
consistent interest in strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan in
the agricultural sector.
“The EU is one of the key trade-economic and investment partners of our country in the agro-industrial complex. In 2024, the volume of foreign trade turnover in agricultural products between Kazakhstan and the EU countries amounted to $1.3 billion, demonstrating a growth of 7 percent. We have significant potential to increase exports of environmentally clean products, particularly grain and flour, and are ready to ensure stable grain supplies to the European market. In this regard, negotiations are underway with Estonia and Latvia on the use of Baltic ports as transit hubs,” noted Aidarbek Saparov.
Moreover, special attention during the meeting was paid to the issues of exporting animal-origin products. Currently, 20 domestic enterprises have the right to export fish products to the EU. Beekeeping enterprises are working on honey export issues. Work continues opening the EU market for aquaculture and horse meat suppliers, including the development of national control plans and coordination of veterinary-sanitary requirements.
The minister reported on the high activity of European business in Kazakhstan.
''At present, three large investment projects with a total value of over $270 million are being implemented. Among them are the construction of a premix production plant in the Almaty region and a feed mill in the Kostanay region by UBM Group, the launch of a non-alcoholic beverage production plant in the Almaty region by Carlsberg Group, and a seed production project with localization of sorghum production by ALFASEED KFT,'' he emphasized.
European companies CLAAS, Amazone-Werke, SDF Group, and Pöttinger operate successfully. Since the beginning of 2025, a project for the localization of John Deere machinery is underway.
“We are open to proposals to expand the presence of European companies and deepen cooperation with the EU,” emphasized Aidarbek Saparov.
In turn, the European Union Ambassador Aleška Simkić expressed gratitude for the open and comprehensive dialogue, noting the high potential for cooperation in the agro-industrial sector and the EU’s readiness to further develop interaction with Kazakhstan in all discussed areas.
