The supply of grain and other agricultural goods from Kazakhstan to China has been effectively blocked since the summer of 2021 amid tightening quarantine measures in China. In addition, there were also infrastructural difficulties associated with an increase in the China-Western Europe transit flow.
Taking this into account, the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy company has prepared a Roadmap for stabilizing transportation between China and Kazakhstan.
China's untimely acceptance of cargo from Kazakhstan led to the fact that, at the end of 2021, deliveries decreased by 3 million tons (by 27% by 2020), amounting to 7.9 million tons. As a result, KTZh faced claims from shippers and wagon owners.
To solve the problem by expanding transport corridors in the direction of China, the national company is considering various measures. In particular, there are proposals, if necessary, to introduce mirror measures against Chinese railway workers who refuse to accept Kazakh exports.
Namely, to restrict or prohibit the transit of goods from third countries to China through Kazakhstan's territory. A point planning of export shipments is also proposed, taking into account the nomenclature that the Chinese side is ready to accept.
The implementation of these measures, according to KTZh, will make it possible to eliminate the idle time of goods and the appearance of abandoned trains.
Also, an effective measure should be the reorientation of part of the cargo flow from the Dostyk-Alashankou crossing to the Altynkol-Khorogos crossing. This process has already been launched: the share of transportation to China via Altynkol increased from 4% in 2019 to 32% in 2021. In particular, preferences helped, which made it possible to equalize the tariff for shippers with the tariffs at Dostyk station.
To further increase the flow, it is proposed to continue improving the tariff policy. In particular, we are talking about creating favorable conditions for containerization - to equalize the tariff for the transportation of goods in containers with the tariff for transportation in a universal wagon fleet.
It is assumed that this will allow reorientation to container transportation, including grain cargo.
Needless to say, the measures are promising. But now there are already doubts that they will be implemented. The fact is that the company "KTZ-Freight Transportation" is responsible for this decision. However, this structure is losing valuable personnel. In particular, at the end of March, it became known about the departure from the board of the company of Kanat Kobesov, an experienced manager who was just able to implement such measures for the benefit of the development of Kazakhstan's foreign economic activity.