EXPORT AND TRADE FORUM IN ASTANA: STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR SUPPORTING AGRI-INDUSTRIAL EXPORTS DEFINED
The Export and Trade Forum in Astana concluded its work, serving as a platform for discussing strategic objectives to enhance the export potential of Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial sector and effectively promote high-quality domestic products in international markets.
The event was organized as part of KazAgro/KazFarm 2025 — the largest agricultural exhibitions in Central Asia.
The forum gathered representatives of the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan (ECA), government bodies, the diplomatic corps, industry associations, as well as business leaders and exporting companies.
During the plenary session, Madina Yerzhanova, Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of the ECA, presented support tools with a focus on insurance mechanisms and indirect financing for exporters and their foreign buyers through second-tier banks and other financial institutions.
It was noted that the trade financing mechanism allows the funding of foreign buyers through their local banks to purchase Kazakhstani products at a reduced rate. This instrument is made possible through letters of credit insured by the Export Credit Agency, which significantly lowers financing costs and enhances the competitiveness of Kazakhstani goods abroad.
Pre-export financing, in turn, enables domestic exporters to receive preferential funding in banks under the Agency’s guarantees. These funds can be used to replenish working capital needed for production, service delivery, or fulfillment of large export contracts — a crucial factor for maintaining export growth.
“ECA consistently works to increase the volume of non-resource exports, helping our companies enter new international markets and stimulating demand from foreign buyers. We are ready to support domestic producers at every stage of the export cycle, offering over 20 products tailored to their needs and the dynamics of the global market,” said Madina Yerzhanova, emphasizing the proactive stance of the Agency.
By the end of the third quarter of the current year, the Agency provided insurance and guarantee support to domestic exporters totaling over 480 billion tenge. The total economic impact of this support exceeded 1.5 trillion tenge. The plan for the end of the year aims to increase the total support volume to 600 billion tenge.
“A special focus and strategic role in our portfolio belong to the agro-industrial sector. Over the first nine months of this year, we supported 15 exporting manufacturers in agriculture and food industries, totaling about 150 billion tenge. Currently, the insurance portfolio for this sector includes 51 projects with a total value exceeding 174 billion tenge,” added Yerzhanova.
In the final part of the Forum, direct and practical interactions were held between development institutions and business representatives. During this session, regional ECA managers conducted a series of targeted meetings with business community members.
The Export and Trade Forum became an important step in aligning the efforts of the state, financial institutions, and businesses. Participants were introduced to updated government export support measures, received detailed explanations of international partner requirements, and discussed key challenges and opportunities to strengthen the position of Kazakhstani products in global markets.
