Kazakhstan and Poland intend to strengthen cooperation and increase trade turnover
This was stated by Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Kairat Torebayev at the Kazakhstan-Poland Economic Forum held on June 15, 2023 in Warsaw.
«Poland is one of the leading foreign economic partners of Kazakhstan in Central and Eastern Europe, trade with which annually demonstrates positive dynamics», - the Vice Minister stressed. - The volume of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Poland in 2022 increased by 79.2%, and Kazakhstan's exports – by almost 100%, reaching $770.8 million. Imports from Poland increased by 58.2% to $587.5 million. However, according to the results of 4 months of this year, we are seeing a decrease in trade volumes. To intensify cooperation, Kazakhstan is ready to introduce an additional 120 commodity items worth $140 million to the Polish market.
Kairat Torebayev informed about the work of the state to increase mutual trade turnover in the coming years.
The system of state export support measures built in Kazakhstan is focused on achieving this goal. These are more than 20 instruments of non-financial and financial support. It is proposed to expand the use of insurance tools of the KazakhExport domestic company. It is important to properly apply all the financial opportunities that we offer for business, including the new trade finance tool.
Kairat Torebayev also proposed to promote the export of finished products through global marketplaces. In 2022, the retail e-commerce market in Kazakhstan continued to grow and amounted to 1.3 trillion tenge, which is 30% more than in 2021. The annual increase in sales from marketplaces was 33%, and sales of online stores increased by 19%. 85% of the subjects of the e–commerce market are representatives of SMEs.
One of the popular marketplaces is an electronic platform Alibaba.com. In 2020 - 2022, 220 companies were placed on the Alibaba platform. Today, more than 7.5 thousand Kazakhstani goods have already been placed on the trading platform. The total sales volume of the program participants during this period amounted to about $260 million. In 2022, we opened the National Pavilion on the Alibaba platform. Work continues on the creation of a regional hub of Central Asian countries on the Ebay platform.
Kairat Torebayev shared Kazakhstan's plans for the formation of cross-border hubs designed to increase the throughput of processed and food products. According to him, in the development of modern cross-border trade and logistics infrastructure, the main "points of growth" will be the Khorgos junction on the border with China and the ICPC "Central Asia" on the Kazakh-Uzbek border. A similar industrial trade and logistics complex will be created on the border with Kyrgyzstan. To attract Kazakhstani and transit cargo to Kazakh ports in the Caspian Sea, the government is currently actively working on the creation of a container hub on the basis of the Aktau Seaport SEZ.
During the panel session of the forum, Kairat Torebayev was asked a question about Kazakhstan's compliance with the sanctions of the countries of the collective West. The Vice Minister gave an exhaustive answer about the measures taken by the country to prevent the application of secondary sanctions to our country and the use of territory to circumvent them. In particular, the Government has set up a working group to promote sanctions risks, which monitors trade in goods included in the sanctions lists. For this purpose, format and logistics control has been established in the information systems of state revenue bodies (IS ASTANA-1). Since April 1, 2023, mandatory registration of accompanying invoices for goods in mutual trade with the EAEU countries has been introduced. This allows you to track in real time the movement of goods, including those included in the sanctions lists. A website has been created and is constantly being updated for Kazakhstani business traderadar.kz , a kind of guide to all anti-Russian sanctions. In addition, today, work is being carried out with the authorized bodies of the countries applying sanctions against the Russian Federation and Belarus on data exchange and rapid response.
For reference: The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Poland in 2022 amounted to 1.4 billion US dollars, which is 79.2% higher than in the same period of the previous year (0.8 billion US dollars). Exports from Kazakhstan to Poland in 2022 increased by 99.4% and amounted to 770.8 million US dollars. Imports to Kazakhstan from Poland in 2022 increased by 58.2% and amounted to 587.5 million US dollars.
The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Poland in January-April 2023 amounted to 433.8 million US dollars, which is 15.3% lower than in the same period of the previous year (512.2 million US dollars).
The main export goods from Kazakhstan to Poland are crude oil, coal, natural gas, flax seeds, tobacco products and others.
The main goods imported to Kazakhstan from Poland: computers, medicines packaged for retail sale, apples, pears and quinces, putties, putties, telephones, household and other electric heating appliances, electric stoves and others.