This weekend, around 3.5 thousand tons of domestic agricultural products are presented at "Dala dämi" fairs across the country. This is almost twice as much as at the fairs held last week, when more than 2 thousand tons of goods were sold.
"Dala dämi" fairs are held in all regions of Kazakhstan at the initiative of the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their main feature is the opportunity to purchase products directly from farmers, without intermediaries. At the same time, prices for goods are on average up to 20% lower than market prices.
In Astana this weekend, farmers from the Abai region, Mangystau and Almaty regions are presenting their products. In Almaty, fairs are simultaneously operating at four venues, where about 600 tons of agricultural products are being sold. One of the largest fairs is taking place in Shymkent. Farmers have brought more than 500 tons here.
Meat products are in particular demand among buyers. Beef, horse meat, lamb, and poultry are presented on the shelves.
For example, 52 tons of beef have been brought to the fair in the Karaganda region. In Astana, beef and horse meat from farmers of the Abai region can be purchased for 3500 tenge per kilogram. Comparable prices are in effect in other regions as well. In Kostanay, a kilogram of beef is sold for 3200–3500 tenge, horse meat and lambfrom 3000 tenge.
In addition to affordable prices, an important advantage of the fairs is the free provision of trading places to farmers. First and foremost, socially significant food products are presented here.
Since September of this year, agricultural fairs across the country have been held under the unified name "Dala dämi". The format has already become a familiar shopping destination for residents of the regions.
"The fair has become a good place for shopping. We come here on weekends because prices are lower here. Even if we manage to save 5–10 thousand tenge, it is noticeable for the family budget. And if you calculate the savings of all buyers, the amount turns out to be significant," noted Aktau resident Sabit Sapargul.
Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev held a meeting with the UK Government's Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia, Lord John Alderdice. The parties discussed the dynamics of bilateral trade, expansion of Kazakh exports, development of industrial cooperation, investment, and scientific-educational collaboration.
By the end of 2025, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom reached 1.63 billion US dollars, an increase of 83.7% compared to 2024. For January–July 2026, the figure reached 1.25 billion US dollars, which is 68.5% higher than the same period in 2025.
At the same time, Kazakhstan is interested not only in maintaining growth rates but also in diversifying the trade structure and increasing supplies of high value-added products. Currently, the basis of exports consists of silver, crude oil, copper, and copper cathodes.
“It is important for us to move from the achieved growth to deeper and more diversified trade. First and foremost, we are interested in expanding the export of Kazakh products to the British market beyond raw materials,” noted Arman Shakkaliyev.
In this regard, the minister proposed organizing a trade and economic mission of British importers and retail chain representatives to Kazakhstan for direct interaction with domestic producers. The parties also discussed the requirements of the British market for quality, certification, packaging, and standards for potential export products.
Special attention was paid to critical minerals and the development of processing. Lord John Alderdice noted the promising prospects for cooperation between British companies and universities with Kazakhstan, not only in the extraction sector but also in the field of mineral processing and the creation of high value-added products.
“Kazakhstan has significant natural resources, but it is especially important that you set the task not to limit yourselves to their extraction, but to create added value and develop processing. It is precisely here that we see great opportunities for cooperation,” said Lord John Alderdice.
The parties also considered opportunities for attracting British investment into the manufacturing industry, energy, logistics, and high-tech sectors, as well as expanding direct contacts between companies of the two countries.
During the meeting, cooperation in the field of standardization, export promotion, science, and education was discussed. Kazakhstan is interested in exchanging experience with the British Institute of Export and International Trade, as well as in further interaction between KazStandard and the British Standards Institution (BSI). Issues of preparing Kazakh exporters for carbon regulation requirements, including CBAM, were separately considered.
Lord John Alderdice also noted the potential for cooperation between universities and research centers of the two countries, including in the field of mining, mineral processing, and the nuclear industry.
Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in transitioning from general potential to specific trade, investment, production, and scientific projects, as well as in further expanding direct contacts between businesses and relevant organizations of Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan announces the publication on the official internet resource and the "Open NPAs" internet portal of the draft order of the Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Approval of the Rules for the Distribution of Tariff Quotas for the Import of Certain Types of Goods into the Republic of Kazakhstan among Foreign Trade Participants" (hereinafter – the Draft Order).
The Draft Order has been developed in accordance with subparagraph 2) of paragraph 1 of Article 16 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Regulation of Trade Activities" and Article 35 of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union dated May 29, 2014.
The main purpose of the Draft Order is to approve the methodology for distributing tariff quotas for the import of certain types of goods into the Republic of Kazakhstan among foreign trade participants, originating from countries with which free trade agreements have been concluded.
The draft is being discussed on the "Open NPAs" internet portal from 21.09.2026 to 06.10.2026 (link: https://legalacts.egov.kz/npa/view?id=15915556 ).
Two technical regulations have been approved, establishing mandatory safety requirements for certain types of sports equipment and inventory, as well as gymnastic equipment.
An important stage in the preparation of the documents was the inclusion of the relevant product types in the Unified List of Products subject to mandatory requirements within the Eurasian Economic Union. This created the necessary legal basis for the development and adoption of national technical regulations for sports equipment and inventory.
In particular, the regulated list includes certain types of sports and physical fitness equipment and inventory, including sports goals, targets for trap shooting and sporting, as well as various types of gymnastic equipment — parallel bars, horizontal bars, trampolines, rings, gymnastic apparatus, mats, and other equipment.
The developer of the technical regulations was the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with intersectoral coordination by the Committee for Technical Regulation and Metrology of the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Expert councils, relevant technical committees for standardization, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Atameken", as well as industry and business representatives participated in the development of the documents.
The relevant requirements were approved by orders of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan:
- Order No. 175 dated September 10, 2026 - technical regulation for sports equipment and inventory;
- Order No. 169 dated September 8, 2026 - technical regulation for gymnastic equipment.
The technical regulations establish requirements aimed at ensuring product safety during its intended use.
Conformity assessment of products to the regulation requirements is carried out by the applicant (manufacturer, importer, or authorized person), as well as by accredited conformity assessment bodies within their competence.
Special attention in the technical regulations is given to product identification issues. Identification is carried out based on the product name, information contained in the accompanying documentation, as well as visual methods. This takes into account the EAEU HS Code, the purpose and scope of application of the product, its origin and composition, as well as the specifics of production and use technology.
The technical regulations come into force after six months from the date of their first official publication. The established transition period will allow manufacturers and importers to prepare for the application of new mandatory requirements and ensure product compliance with the established standards.
The adoption of the technical regulations is aimed at increasing the safety level of sports equipment and inventory used by children and adults, as well as at forming unified mandatory approaches to the safety requirements of the relevant products.
The introduction of mandatory requirements will enhance the level of protection of life and health of citizens during the operation of sports and gymnastic equipment and create clearer conditions for manufacturers, importers, and other market participants.
Detailed information about the technical regulations and established requirements can be found on the official website of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
On September 18, the "Central Asia+Italy" Business Platform Forum took place in Astana, where B5+ITALY was officially launched. The platform has already outlined specific areas for further cooperation: increasing non-commodity exports from Kazakhstan to Italy, launching joint production facilities, developing regional trade and logistics hubs, and expanding direct transport links. The forum was attended by deputy ministers of relevant ministries from Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan to Kazakhstan, as well as the Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Arman Shakkaliyev.
Today, Italy holds a special place in Kazakhstan's foreign trade. It is Kazakhstan's third-largest trading partner globally and the largest among the European Union countries. By the end of 2025, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to 16.9 billion US dollars, of which approximately 15.6 billion US dollars were Kazakh exports.
However, the next stage of partnership involves not just increasing trade volumes, but changing its structure. Kazakhstan has identified around 100 commodity items with the potential for additional export growth to Italy worth 307 million US dollars. The list includes products from the metallurgical, chemical, food, construction, and mechanical engineering industries.
"We are interested in making the platform a practical mechanism for direct interaction between Italian businesses and Central Asian countries, from trade and investment to industrial cooperation, transport, logistics, and new technologies," emphasized Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Arman Shakkaliyev.
This involves a transition from the traditional trade model to creating a joint production base. Currently, more than 300 enterprises with Italian capital operate in Kazakhstan, and the volume of Italian investments over the years of independence has exceeded 9.5 billion US dollars.
"Our task is to move from a 'supplier-buyer' model to a deeper partnership model: production localization, creation of joint ventures, technology transfer, and the formation of new production chains," noted Arman Shakkaliyev.
In parallel, the possibility of forming a trade and industrial hub based in Shymkent is being considered, through which Italian and Kazakh goods could be distributed to other regions of the country.
"The issue of forming a hub for trade and industrial goods in Shymkent with subsequent distribution of products to other regions is being considered," said Deputy Akim of Shymkent city, Aidyn Karimov.
Another direction is direct transport links between Kazakhstan and Italy. The parties plan to continue working on the issue of opening direct flights, which will create additional opportunities for developing business contacts and tourism ties.
A separate block of negotiations was dedicated to logistics. Participants discussed the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and the creation of regional production and logistics hubs. For Italian businesses, Kazakhstan is seen as a connecting link between European and Asian markets, and infrastructure development opens up opportunities not only for transit but also for the placement of warehouse complexes, logistics centers, and regional distribution platforms.
The agro-industrial complex also remains a promising area. Kazakhstan is interested in increasing supplies not only of grain and oilseed crops but also of deeply processed products—vegetable oils, protein products, flour, and other high-value-added products.
The forum also discussed cooperation in the field of critical minerals, green energy and sustainable development, agribusiness, deep processing of agricultural products, energy, and oilfield services. The Kazakh-Italian Trade House, opened in Almaty in February 2026, remains an additional tool for developing business ties.
Starting September 19, 2026, the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan is launching weekly agricultural fairs "Dala Dami" across the country. The fairs will be held every weekend and will become a unified modern format for direct sales of domestic agricultural products.
In the first weekend alone, on September 19 and 20, more than 2,000 tons of domestic agricultural products will be presented at fairs across the country.
In Astana, the "Dala Dami" project will become a platform for presenting agricultural products from the country's regions. Each week, producers from different regions will be represented in the capital. In Astana and Almaty, the fairs will be held for two days, on Saturday and Sunday, and in other regions on Saturdays. Vegetables and fruits, meat and dairy products, grains and other seasonal goods will be sold directly by farmers and producers, without intermediaries.
For local agricultural producers, trading places at the fairs are provided free of charge. This will allow farmers to sell their own products directly, and buyers to purchase seasonal goods at affordable prices.
The organization of fairs provides for a unified approach throughout the republic. Trade will be carried out on specially equipped counters and trading structures. Spontaneous trade from cars, trucks and trailers is not permitted. Trading places will be designed in the unified style of the "Dala Dami" project, reflecting the harvest season, the wealth of Kazakhstan's land and the labor of domestic producers.
At the same time, "Dala Dami" is not only a trading platform. The fairs will be organized as a public space for spending weekends with family. The venues are planned to create a festive atmosphere with seasonal decoration, national elements, tastings, activities for children and other events.
Autumn is traditionally perceived as a time of harvest, abundance and summing up the results of spring-summer labor. Therefore, the project is designed to show not only the finished products, but also their path from the land and the producer's labor to the consumer's table.
"Dala Dami" fairs will be held every weekend starting from September 19, 2026.
As part of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Korea, a meeting of the "Kazakhstan – Republic of Korea" Business Council was held on September 15 in Seoul, during which a number of agreements were signed aimed at developing trade and economic cooperation and expanding the export of Kazakhstani products to the Korean market.
JSC "Trade Policy Development Center "QazTrade" and the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at expanding opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses and developing the innovative component of Kazakhstani exports. The document provides for the implementation of joint projects, exchange of experience and expertise, development of educational and acceleration initiatives, as well as active promotion of e-commerce as one of the promising tools for domestic companies to enter international markets.
The cooperation between QazTrade and KOSME is a continuation of the systematic work of the two organizations. In 2025, the parties implemented joint educational programs for Kazakhstani IT companies, within which entrepreneurs had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Korean approaches to digital transformation, scaling technology businesses, and implementing artificial intelligence-based solutions.
Following the interaction, the parties also agreed on the further development of expert support, the creation of a joint working group, and the integration of Kazakhstani companies into relevant Korean acceleration programs.
On the same day, a number of commercial agreements were signed with the participation of Kazakhstani companies. In particular, Kusto Logistics Management and Seojoong Logistics agreed on the development of trade and logistics cooperation and the expansion of business ties between the companies of the two countries.
LLP "Merke-Et" and Jung Ho Park - Highland Innovation concluded agreements providing for the supply of Kazakhstani meat products, including canned meat, to the market of the Republic of Korea in a volume of up to 1,000 tons per year. In addition, Samsar Investment and JSC "Coupaju" concluded an agreement for the supply of Kazakhstani sunflower oil with a total value of 3 million US dollars. A separate area was the expansion of supplies of metallurgical industry products.
LLP "Ekibastuz FerroAlloys" and Uni Metal Co., LTD signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation, providing for the creation of a basis for long-term interaction and the organization of regular supplies of ferrosilicon produced by LLP "Ekibastuz FerroAlloys" to Uni Metal Co., LTD on terms agreed upon by the parties. The potential supply volume under the agreement is estimated at 50 million US dollars. Thus, the documents signed on September 15 cover several key areas of Kazakhstani-Korean trade interaction - logistics, food exports, and supplies of metallurgical industry products, creating additional opportunities for domestic producers to enter the market of the Republic of Korea.
On September 16 in Seoul, as part of the "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit (C5+5), the signing of a Trade Cooperation Agreement between the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and QazTrade took place.
Also, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan noted the need to double bilateral trade turnover with the Republic of Korea. In 2025, the trade volume between the two countries amounted to 3.17 billion US dollars, which is 1.3% more than the 2024 figure. For January-July 2026, according to current data, trade turnover reached 1.57 billion US dollars.
"Given the current volume of mutual trade, the potential of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea is significantly higher. Our task is to expand the range of Kazakhstani exports, increase the number of domestic companies represented in the Korean market, and translate the agreements reached into concrete export contracts" - Ainur Amirbekova, Deputy General Director of JSC "Trade Policy Development Center "QazTrade"
QazTrade acts as a single operator for promoting non-resource exports of Kazakhstan and provides comprehensive support to domestic producers when entering foreign markets. As part of its activities, the Center assists exporters in searching for and selecting potential buyers, organizing B2B negotiations, participating in international exhibitions and trade and economic missions, adapting products to the requirements of target markets, promoting national goods, and developing export competencies of businesses.
Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev held a meeting with the Deputy State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a working visit. The parties discussed the dynamics of bilateral trade, the expansion of non-commodity exports, and the prospects for industrial and technological cooperation.
«Italy is one of Kazakhstan's key trade and economic partners in Europe. At the same time, we see significant potential for expanding the structure of mutual trade. According to our estimates, the additional potential for supplies of Kazakh products to the Italian market amounts to approximately 307.5 million US dollars. This primarily concerns products of metallurgy, petrochemistry, food and chemical industries, as well as mechanical engineering», – noted Arman Shakkaliyev.
By the end of 2025, the volume of mutual trade between Kazakhstan and Italy amounted to 16.9 billion US dollars. For January–July 2026, trade turnover reached 9.79 billion dollars, including 9 billion dollars of Kazakhstan's exports and 789.6 million dollars of imports from Italy.
The Italian side noted the stable dynamics of trade and economic ties and confirmed its interest in further developing cooperation with Kazakhstan.
«We highly value the level of relations between Italy and Kazakhstan and the positive dynamics of bilateral trade. Italy is ready to share its technologies and experience to support the diversification of Kazakhstan's economy. A separate area is logistics. We are ready to facilitate the exchange of experience and technologies for further modernization of this sphere», – noted Maria Tripodi.
Tomorrow, the Forum of the business platform «Central Asia + Italy» will take place in Astana, which will serve as a platform for discussing new areas of trade, economic, and investment cooperation, as well as the development of business ties between companies of Kazakhstan and Italy.
Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev held a telephone conversation with Canada's Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu. The parties discussed expanding trade and economic cooperation and identified areas for further joint work.
Today, more than 160 joint ventures with Canadian capital operate in Kazakhstan. At the same time, according to the parties' assessment, the current volume of mutual trade does not yet reflect the existing potential for cooperation.
In this regard, Arman Shakkaliyev proposed moving towards the implementation of flagship joint projects and preparing a joint action plan for Kazakhstan and Canada with specific priorities and projects. The possibility of developing initiatives within the "Made with Canada" approach and expanding the presence of Canadian products in the Kazakhstani market was separately noted.
"We have prepared a list of potential Kazakhstani export goods across 45 product categories totaling approximately 255 million US dollars. We are ready to work together with the Canadian side to identify specific mechanisms for promoting these products to the Canadian market. At the same time, Kazakhstan can become an important platform for Canadian partners to enter the markets of China and other countries in the region," noted Arman Shakkaliyev.
Special attention was paid to cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. The Canadian side proposed exchanging experience in implementing small modular reactor projects, including the Darlington SMR project, as well as CANDU technology. The parties also discussed the prospects for Canadian companies' participation in the implementation of Kazakhstan's plans for the development of nuclear energy.
Cooperation in the field of critical minerals and the mining industry was identified as a promising area. Kazakhstan and Canada have significant experience in this sphere, and the further task is to transition from raw material interaction to the development of processing and production of goods with higher added value.
In the field of agriculture, the parties considered the possibilities of applying Canadian agricultural technologies to increase productivity and more efficiently use water and other resources. The development of agricultural product processing was also discussed.
"Regarding agriculture, Canadian companies in the field of agricultural technologies can help increase yields with less use of fertilizers and water, which will contribute to ensuring your food security," noted Maninder Sidhu.
Another area of cooperation could be the aerospace industry. The Canadian side expressed readiness to expand interaction, including in the field of firefighting aviation and the use of relevant Canadian aircraft and technologies.
An important part of the negotiations were issues of attracting investments. The parties agreed to continue preliminary work on a possible Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA). According to the Canadian side, such a mechanism can contribute to expanding investment cooperation, particularly in the mining industry, agriculture, and sectors related to international supply chains.
During the conversation, the possibility of utilizing the potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route for further diversification of foreign trade was also noted. The Kazakhstani side proposed considering the development of an economic strategy for Canada's engagement with Central Asian countries, taking into account Canada's experience in implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
For practical coordination of further work, the parties agreed to prepare a joint economic plan defining priority areas, trade facilitation issues, investment interaction, and sectoral cooperation.
Arman Shakkaliyev invited Maninder Sidhu to visit Digital Bridge and the Astana International Forum. The Canadian side also invited the Kazakhstani minister to continue negotiations in Canada, including within the framework of the PDAC mining conference. In conclusion, Canada's Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, congratulated the Kazakhstani side on the recent elections and wished further success in the country's development.
September 5 is the birthday of the great teacher, founder of Kazakh linguistics and literary studies, public figure Akhmet Baitursynuly. This day is celebrated in the country as the Day of Languages of the People of Kazakhstan.
In honor of these significant dates, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan with Alash scholar, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of Nazarbayev University Aigul Ismakova.
The meeting discussed the place of Akhmet Baitursynuly in the spiritual life of the Kazakh people and his invaluable contribution to the development of the national language. The scholar elaborated on the merits of the teacher of the nation in forming the foundations of Kazakh linguistics, the research that shaped the scientific system of the language, and his positions on issues of alphabet and orthography.
During the meeting, the educational activities of the scholar and his public work for the benefit of the country's future were also widely discussed. It was noted that Akhmet Baitursynuly considered the issues of language, education, and the nation as inseparable from each other, linking them to the future of the country.
The principle of the teacher of the nation "to serve the nation" has not lost its significance today. Respect for the native language, its development, and transmission to subsequent generations is the common responsibility of every citizen. In this regard, the scientific and public legacy of Akhmet Baitursynuly remains an important spiritual guide for modern society as well.