Expanding the horizons of cooperation: Kazakhstan and China are strengthening cooperation in the field of phytosanitary and veterinary control to increase the turnover of agricultural products, the APK News agency reports.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Ermek Kenzhekhanuly met with a representative of the General Administration of Customs of China Wang Lingjun, discussing the prospects for developing a mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries in the field of agro-industrial complex and food security.
During the meeting, special attention was paid to discussing issues of increasing the level of sanitary and quarantine control of plant products entering the Chinese market, as well as agreeing on conditions for increasing the volume of goods exported from Kazakhstan.
A separate topic was devoted to a detailed consideration of the requirements of the Chinese side regarding the certification of products of animal origin, the prospects for their supply to China and the necessary measures to ensure the quality of meat products. Plans for visits by Chinese experts to enterprises in Kazakhstan to assess the readiness for the export of poultry meat were discussed. A visit by the Chinese side to poultry enterprises in Kazakhstan is planned for August.
An important point of the discussion was the need to amend the current veterinary protocols and agreements concerning the rules for the supply of chilled and processed beef, lamb and pork, and to speed up the process of issuing veterinary certificates for goods such as cattle hides, poultry products and live cattle.
In addition, the discussion focused on expanding the range of agricultural products available for import to China, including rice, cotton, melons and grain crops produced in Kazakhstan.
“The key topics of the dialogue were the organization of a joint inspection of Kazakhstani enterprises producing sugar beet pulp, expanding the geography of wheat and barley exports to China by including new regions, and opening the Chinese market to new types of crop products — rice, cotton, melons and watermelons,” the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture reported.
Both sides expressed confidence in further strengthening cooperation, noting the importance of improving regulatory and control mechanisms that promote the development of trade relations and increase the competitiveness of Kazakhstan's agricultural sector in the Chinese market.