Kazakhstan proposes Russia increase purchases of Kazakh beef, replacing imports from third countries

ASTANA. Dec 1 (Interfax) - The Agriculture Ministers of Kazakhstan and Russia Aidarbek Saparov and Dmitry Patrushev discussed lifting restrictions on shipments of Kazakh meat to Russia and increasing export volumes, the press service of Kazakhstan's Agriculture Ministry reported.

The report said that trade turnover [in agricultural products] between the countries for the nine months of 2023 totaled $2.6 billion, but its structure itself is "rather uneven" as Kazakhstan's imports from Russia far exceed its exports.

"Therefore, Saparov focused attention on the potential for increasing supplies of Kazakh products to the Russian market, namely, increasing the supply of beef from Kazakhstan. The Minister of Agriculture invited Patrushev to discuss potentially replacing Russian beef imports from third countries with Kazakh beef," the report says.

The Kazakh Agriculture Minister also mentioned restrictions on the import of livestock products from Kazakhstan to Russia in force since January 2022, which were introduced due to the worsening epizootic situation regarding foot-and-mouth disease.

"In order to further develop and strengthen our strategic cooperation, we ask you to consider the possibility of lifting the imposed restrictions, which will allow Kazakh products to enter the Russian market," Saparov said.

At the end of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Ministries of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and Russia.