Kazakhstan plans to export its meat and fish to Thailand

Kazakhstan is set to export animal production to Thailand. At least two Kazakhstani companies – Kazbeef Processing and Merke Et Combinaty – are in the process of obtaining the necessary licenses from Thai authorities, as reported by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture following a meeting between Vice Minister of Agriculture Ermek Kenzhehanuly and Thai Minister of Agriculture Narumon Pinyosinwat.

There are also plans to export crop products and fish to Thailand. As Kenzhehanuly noted, Kazakhstan exports up to 7 million tons of wheat annually and Thailand is a particularly interesting market for expanding Kazakhstan’s grain supplies. In mid-August, Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev announced that Kazakhstan would increase its export to Thailand by nearly $1 billion, which is 16 times more than in 2023 ($367.7 million). 

Overall, Kazakhstan is looking forward to expanding the range of exported goods and increasing mutual trading volume. According to Kazakhstan’s State Revenue Committee, between January and August, Kazakhstan exported 1,500 tons of goods worth $4 million to Thailand, while Thailand exported 13,000 tons of goods worth $151.2 million to Kazakhstan.

Thailand’s exports to Kazakhstan consist of fish, rice, seeds, seafood, plants and flowers, carpets, clothing and footwear, vegetables, nuts, fruits, berries, tea, bread, coffee, cigarettes, cosmetics and plastic products. Kazakhstan mostly exports ferroalloys, pipes, metals, metal products, spare parts, tools, electrical equipment, engines, monitors, toilet paper and bed linen. 

The two countries have also discussed prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the spheres of agriculture and food security, as well as possibilities for developing strategic and investment partnerships. For instance, Thailand proposed establishing cooperation in agricultural science and education, specifically in rice breeding and poultry production. The countries have arranged to establish a working group on agriculture that is expected to hold regular sessions to discuss the most urgent issues. 

In mid-August, the Ministry of Agriculture said that Kazakhstan was going to export honey, caviar, meat delicacies and high-quality spirits to Thailand. At the time, Shakkaliyev emphasized that the cabinet «sees significant potential» in expanding the country’s exports by 100 items worth more than $900 million.

In late September, Kazakhstan’s ministry of agriculture revealed that the Thai company Sea Value would launch canned fish production in Kazakhstan. The new plant in the Almaty region is expected to have a capacity of 3 to 5 tons of canned products per day, with plans to export the finished items to Thailand and other countries.