Kazakhstan and Turkey to create joint grain hub

Kazakhstan and Turkey have agreed to establish a joint grain hub based at the Baku Grain Terminal. The initiative, announced during a meeting of the two countries’ agriculture ministers, is aimed at simplifying logistics chains and ensuring their stability. Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov and his Turkish counterpart Ibrahim Yumakli discussed prospects for deepening cooperation in the agricultural sector, in particular in the supply of durum wheat, including durum and hi-pro varieties.

The volume of trade between Kazakhstan and Turkey currently amounts to about $300 million. Kazakhstan’s main export items are vegetables (163.2 thousand tons, an increase of 106%), legumes and cotton fiber (29.5 thousand tons, an increase of 39%). According to Saparov, Kazakhstan has significant potential for expanding the range and volume of trade, in particular by opening the Turkish market for Kazakh beef, which the country is ready to supply in the amount of more than 10 thousand tons annually.

Turkey expressed interest in deepening cooperation in the agro-industrial complex. Ibrahim Yumakly emphasized that Kazakhstan plays an important role in ensuring the food security of the region. Turkey is ready to share experience in the field of agricultural technologies, irrigation, organic farming and sustainable agriculture, as well as implement joint investment projects with Kazakh agricultural producers.

The creation of a grain hub and expansion of cooperation between the countries will contribute to strengthening economic ties and increasing food security in the region. It is expected that this project will become an important step in the development of bilateral partnership, and will also open up new opportunities for the export of Kazakh agricultural products to international markets.

Tags: Kazakhstan, Turkey