A Kazakh trade delegation is expected to visit the Iranian capital, Tehran, in late June, concurrent with the upcoming visit of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Iran, according to director general of Central Asia, Caucasia and Russia Bureau of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran.
“During the visit, Iranian and Kazakh businesspeople and traders will negotiate ways of expanding bilateral economic ties. The delegation is also scheduled to visit pharmaceutical and knowledge-based companies as well as home appliance production lines,” Rahmatollah Khormali was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
The official noted that the two sides will also survey the list of commodities furnished by their respective countries and negotiations will be held to supply them using Iranian and Kazakh market capacities.
Kazakhstan mainly imports fruits, nuts and dried fruits, mineral materials and products, ceramics, glassware, home appliances and kitchenware, plastic pipes and products, tomato, potato, onion, kiwi, cucumber, mushrooms, lettuce, grapes, marble, cosmetics products, dates, saffron, honey, pistachios, industrial machinery, electrical appliances and machines, leather, white cement, furniture, milk, cream and cheese.
Iran and Kazakhstan reaffirmed their readiness to increase trade cooperation. This was announced during the meeting of Kazakh Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov and Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Mokhber Dezfouli in Tehran on Feb. 22, the Kazakh prime minister’s press service reported.
Sultanov said cooperation with Iran is one of the country’s foreign policy priorities and Iran is one of the key trade and economic partners of Kazakhstan in the region, The Astana Times reported.
Trade turnover is expected to increase from $440.1 million in 2021 to $3 billion in the coming years.
During the meeting, both sides discussed opportunities for cooperation in banking, logistics and mining industry, as well as the joint use of sea and dry ports of the two countries.
“Conjugation and balancing of the interests and capabilities of the two countries, including industrial cooperation, will contribute to the convergence of economies and the promotion of the economic interests of Kazakhstan and Iran,” Dezfouli said.
Sultanov informed Dezfouli of the outcome of the 17th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission held on Feb. 21, where Sultanov and Iranian Agriculture Minister Javad Sadatinejad agreed to hold the 18th meeting in Nur-Sultan in 2023.
Heading a delegation of public sector officials and businesspeople active in a host of economic areas, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Alihan Smaiylov and Minister of Trade and Integrity Bakhyt Sultanov visited Tehran on Feb. 21 to take part in the 17th Iran-Kazakhstan Economic Commission meeting.
The two sides surveyed opportunities to expand bilateral ties in the fields of trade, agriculture, transportation, investments, technical and engineering services, energy and cultural affairs, Mehr News Agency reported.
The 54-strong Kazakh delegation was made up of ministry officials in foreign affairs, energy, agriculture, economy and trade as well as CEOs of 25 private sector businesses.
Iran exported 360,300 tons of goods worth $132.6 million to Kazakhstan during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Dec. 21, 2021) to register a 6.7% rise in weight and a 21% fall in value compared with the similar period of last year, according to the head of Iran-Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce.
“The exported goods mainly included polyethylene ($29.9 million), fruit ($17.1 million), dates ($16.7 million), pistachio ($13.2 million), iron bars and steel products ($5.5 million), carpet and flooring ($4.8 million), paint ($4.4 million) and potatoes ($4.2 million).
Other exported commodities include dairy products, foodstuff, tomato paste, cement and plaster, solid hydroxide, stone and bricks, glass, tea, sugar and sugar cubes, chocolate and pastry, porcelain tableware, tobacco, sheets and blanket, tiles and ceramics, soap and ethylene glycol,” Amir Abedi was also quoted as saying by Mizan Online.
Iran imported 117,600 tons of products worth $37.9 million from its neighbor during the same period to register a 30.7% and 1.3% growth in volume and value respectively, compared with the corresponding period of last year.
“Overall, Iran-Kazakhstan trade stood at 477,900 tons worth $170.5 million during the period, registering an 11.7% increase in weight but a 17% decline in value year over year,” he said.
According to the official, Kazakhstan is the biggest Central Asian country with which Iran shares Caspian Sea borders, which gives Iran an advantage in that there is a relatively large market in its proximity to and from which trade can be carried out via marine routes as well as road transport.
