The growth of domestic trade turnover by 24%, investment – by 53%
On July 13, 2023, the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan summed up the results of activities for the first half of 2023 at the board.
According to the data announced by the First Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev, for 5 months of 2023, the domestic trade turnover increased by 24% compared to the same period last year, amounting to 20.4 trillion tenge. The volume of attracted investments also increased by 53.2% (122.7 trillion tenge).
Key industry achievements of MIT divisions for the first half of 2023:
● The price index for socially important food products (SIFP) was 4.2%, which is 4 times lower than the same period last year (17.2%). In annual terms, the growth rate decreased by almost 2 times, from 17.7% in 2022 to 9.1% in 2023.
● Amendments to the legislation on the regulation of trade activities have been adopted to implement the instructions of the Head of State on the introduction of regulation «from scratch» The amendments oblige market owners to approve regulations providing for the procedure of tariff formation, conditions for the provision of retail space for rent, grounds for termination of the lease agreement and a list of additional services.
●A tool has been developed to protect domestic producers from dumping of imported products, which provides for the establishment of a minimum wholesale price (MWP) for SIFP.
●Within the framework of the National Project for the Development of Entrepreneurship for 2021-2025, interest rate subsidies are provided for construction projects, expansion, modernization of modern retail facilities.
●Updated the requirements for the trading system of commodity exchanges, strengthened system measures for inspections and monitoring of exchanges, at the stage of completion of the rules of exchange trading on sugar.
●Free access to 8,768 national standards was provided, which allowed entrepreneurs to save more than 50 million tenge.
●In order to ensure the safety of products and the free movement of goods, a Situational Headquarters has been established at MTI, which includes specialists from 4 ministries. An algorithm for the introduction of prohibitions on the import of dairy products has been developed, a temporary ban on 1 brand of milk has been introduced, and enhanced laboratory control has been introduced for 4.
● Since February 1 of this year, a call center (7 707 280 9935) has been operating to protect the interests of Kazakhstani entrepreneurs and consumers on technical barriers, product requirements and security issues.
«The Head of State has set the government the task of halving inflation this year, and we must ensure the stability of prices for goods that have a significant weight in the price index for NWT and support producers of these goods. I instruct the Trade Committee to keep this issue under daily control», - Serik Zhumangarin said following the results of the board.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that by the end of 2023, together with local executive bodies, it is necessary to complete the modernization of 19 markets. Until September 1, 2023 - to organize work on the accreditation of inspection bodies to assess the compliance of greenhouses with the national standard.
Also, in order to resolve issues of affordable coal for greenhouses and taking into account complaints from farmers in the southern regions about the dominance of cheap imported vegetables, Serik Zhumangarin instructed the First Vice Minister of Trade and Integration to send specialists to the Turkestan region to study the situation.
«As a result, consider the issue at a meeting of the Situational Headquarters and what support measures can be provided to local farmers», - the Deputy Prime Minister concluded.