French Market Demonstrates Interest in Kazakhstani Farmers' Products

Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov met with the Ambassador of France to Kazakhstan, Sylvain Guiguet, to discuss prospects for strengthening cooperation in the agro-industrial complex. One key topic was exporting Kazakhstan's horse meat to the French market, Orda.kz reports.

In the first eight months of 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and France amounted to $67 million. Kazakh products' exports to France increased sixfold, mainly due to supplies of rapeseed.

The meeting discussed changes in veterinary requirements for the export of small cattle and a project to improve Kazakhstani breeds, implemented jointly with Synetics and Asyl-Tulik JSC.

The expansion of Danone's capacities in Kazakhstan was also discussed. In 2025, an additional facility worth 730 million tenge will be set up, increasing the production of fermented milk products. Forty percent of these are already exported to Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia. The company uses exclusively milk from Kazakhstani farmers for the production of yoghurts.

In October, an agreement on horse meat supplies was signed between the companies Kaiyp Ata and the French Pegase BVS.

Original Author: Rustam Muratov