Kazakh entrepreneurs agreed to supply sunflower oil, flour and other grain products to Afghanistan worth more than $12 million. The agreements were reached during a trade and economic mission to Kabul, which took place on April 25-26. This was reported by the QazTrade Trade Policy Development Center.
At the exhibition and business forum in Kabul, 35 Kazakh companies presented their products and services.
As Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin said at the opening of the business forum, following the results of last year’s visit of the Afghan delegation to Astana, the parties set themselves the task of bringing mutual trade turnover to $3 billion in the near future. However, in 2023, trade volume decreased and amounted to $636.5 million. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has significant potential to expand the export range of goods to the Afghan market.
“We propose to consider our interaction in the chemical industry, the implementation of joint projects in Afghanistan for geological exploration, extraction and processing of solid minerals, and development of production in the mining and metallurgical sector. Also, Kazakh enterprises are interested in the supply of domestically produced cars with the subsequent localization of dealership centers for servicing cars in Afghanistan,” noted Serik Zhumangarin.
Over the past years, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan have been working to expand cooperation in various areas, including trade, education and cultural ties. The intensification of Kazakh-Afghan relations is facilitated by the opening of the Trade House of Kazakhstan in the city of Herat.
The basis of Kazakhstan's exports to Afghanistan are wheat flour or wheat-rye flour, wheat, sunflower oil, dried legumes, sugar, flax seeds and other products. Afghanistan supplies the Kazakh market with water, including mineral and carbonated water, fresh or dried grapes, plants used in perfumery or pharmacy, onions, garlic, men's textile clothing and others.