Kazakhstan is ready to expand agricultural exports to Uzbekistan to 14.5 million tons, including grains, legumes, oilseeds, flour, and vegetable oil. Kazakhstan is also proposing the creation of joint agricultural clusters. This was announced by Kazakhstan's Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliyev, at the first meeting of the Council of Trade and Investment Ministers of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, which was held in Tashkent.
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Trade, Kazakhstan has proposed that Uzbekistan transition to the development of complete production chains, including feedlots, meat and milk processing, the development of the oil and fat industry, and the creation of cross-border agricultural clusters.
The implementation of such initiatives will strengthen food security and bring joint products to markets in China, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Transport and logistics projects have also been identified as an important area of cooperation. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan view the development of transit corridors as a strategic factor in growing regional trade. Last year, the volume of cargo transported along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route through Kazakhstan amounted to approximately 2.8 million tons, an increase of 35% compared to the previous year. Kazakhstan proposed strengthening tariff policy coordination, accelerating the digitalization of logistics processes, modernizing infrastructure, and implementing "paperless trade" mechanisms to reduce business costs and increase corridor capacity.
According to the Ministry of Trade, bilateral trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reached $3.4 billion in the first nine months of this year, representing an increase of more than 18%. The strategic goal is to increase mutual trade to $10 billion.