Olzhas Bektenov Discusses Agro-Processing Plant Construction with Qingdao Wanlin Food Chairman Li Yantao
Images | primeminister.kz
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with Li Yantao, Chairman of the Board of Chinese company Qingdao Wanlin Food Co., Ltd. The parties discussed cooperation in the field of deep processing of agricultural products, with particular focus on joint investment projects, including the construction of a plant for producing dehydrated vegetables, primeminister.kz reports.
During the meeting, Qingdao Wanlin Food’s plans to build an industrial park in the Turkistan region were reviewed. The project includes three phases for launching agricultural processing facilities and developing industrial infrastructure on a total area of 70 hectares. It encompasses the opening of factories for producing dehydrated vegetables and forage crops, as well as the creation of an industrial park involving at least 15 Chinese business partners.
Construction is already underway for a plant with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons of dehydrated vegetables. The investor has increased the total investment from $30 million to $90 million, and the project is expected to create 300 jobs. In the first phase, the company has leased ready-made production facilities in the Turkistan SEC industrial park. Equipment installation is scheduled soon, with commissioning of the first phase expected in July this year.
The development strategy also includes scaling up production with the establishment of additional processing plants for carrots and garlic in the Zhetysu region and northern parts of Kazakhstan. The finished products are planned to be sold domestically and exported to the US and EU markets.
Kazakhstan places great emphasis on the development of agriculture as a key sector of the economy. Following the President’s instructions, we have significantly expanded support measures for farmers. Last year, the country harvested a record 4.5 million tons of vegetables. As part of agricultural diversification, the area under vegetable and melon crops has been increased this year to 222,000 hectares. We are interested in a long-term strategic partnership with Wanlin Group that includes launching new agro-processing facilities, especially in agricultural regions. Kazakhstan is open to expanding cooperation through the creation of joint R&D centers, investments in agrotechnoparks, and the development of export-oriented logistics hubs," Olzhas Bektenov said.
He instructed sectoral ministries and the akimat of Turkistan region to prepare a draft Investment Agreement within two weeks.
In turn, Li Yantao noted Kazakhstan’s significant agricultural potential and expressed strong interest in implementing joint projects in deep agro-processing.
Following the negotiations, both sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in all promising areas.
For reference: Qingdao Wanlin Food Co., Ltd. is one of China’s leading companies in the field of deep processing of agricultural products. Its operations focus on R&D, production, and export of dehydrated vegetables (garlic, white onion, etc.). The company employs over 1,000 people and has fixed assets worth more than $90 million. It exports products to the United States and European countries, with annual sales exceeding 10,000 tons. Wanlin Food cooperates with major global partners such as Nestlé, Unilever, Kerry, and others.
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Government Debt Management Council set up in Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Finance, jointly with the National Bank and the Ministry of National Economy, announced on Monday the establishment of a consultative and advisory body - the Government Debt Management Council, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The decision is part of the implementation of a set of measures aimed at ensuring the sustainability of public finances and improve the balance of macroeconomic policy of Kazakhstan for 2025/27.
The Council will focus on developing measures aimed at increasing the depth, liquidity, and efficiency of the government securities market, reducing the cost of public borrowing used to finance the budget deficit, and forming relevant benchmarks for the quasi-public sector and corporate issuers.
The key objectives of the Council include adopting coordinated decisions on government debt management, developing the government securities market, and shaping issuance policies in domestic and international markets, taking into account macroeconomic conditions and debt sustainability.
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Kazakhstan and Thailand Strengthen Political Dialogue and Expand Economic Cooperation
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Margulan Baimukhan, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Thailand, held a meeting with Eksiri Pintaruchi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. The parties reviewed the current state of bilateral relations, noting the steady growth of cooperation and the high level of trust between the two countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
The Ambassador emphasized that Kazakhstan and Thailand have built a solid political dialogue supported by active exchanges of visits and the consistent expansion of the legal framework. Over the past two years, the sides have signed agreements on visa-free travel, trade and economic cooperation, and memorandums covering digitalization, tourism, agriculture, and international development.
Both sides expressed mutual interest in further strengthening political contacts and expanding cooperation in 2026, noting the importance of enhancing interagency coordination across key areas of the bilateral agenda.
Economic cooperation was central to the discussion. Kazakhstan remains Thailand’s largest trading partner in Central Asia, accounting for around 70% of Thailand’s trade with the region. Opportunities for expanding trade in agriculture, mechanical engineering, energy, and tourism were reviewed.
The Kazakh side underlined significant export potential in grain and meat supplies, particularly in the context of Thailand’s initiative to establish a regional food hub. The parties also stressed the importance of finalizing agreements on investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, and veterinary and plant quarantine regulations.
Collaboration in subsoil use and rare-earth metals was highlighted as a priority. Kazakhstan, holding substantial reserves of strategic raw materials, proposed exploring joint projects to meet Thailand’s growing demand for high-tech inputs.
Digital cooperation was another important area, including digital trade, fintech, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, and smart logistics. The Kazakh side presented its initiative to establish a UN ESCAP Digital Solutions Center to be located in Almaty.
Transport connectivity was addressed as a key component of the partnership. Currently, 23 direct flights per week operate between Kazakhstan and Thailand, carried out by Air Astana, SCAT Airlines, and Thai AirAsia X. The new Shymkent-Bangkok route launched in December has further enhanced logistical and tourism ties. The parties also noted the potential of the Middle Corridor and future multimodal transport links under the China-Laos-Thailand railway project.
The Ambassador acknowledged the growing tourist flow from Kazakhstan to Thailand and expressed gratitude for the support provided in opening the Consulate of Kazakhstan in Phuket, with the official inauguration planned for January 2026.
The sides reaffirmed their aligned positions on major international issues and their readiness to enhance cooperation across multilateral platforms.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador M. Baimukhan stressed that Kazakhstan views Thailand as a key partner in Southeast Asia and remains committed to deepening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation.
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Kazakhstan Strengthens Dialogue with Kuwait in the Energy Sector
Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Kuwait Yerzhan Yelekeyev met with sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah, Chief Executive Officer of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, to discuss prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
During the meeting, Ambassador conveyed a letter of invitation from the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, inviting sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah to visit Kazakhstan. The proposed visit aims to facilitate in-depth discussions on potential areas of cooperation and partnership between Kazakhstan and Kuwait in the oil and energy industries.
The meeting underscored the mutual interest of both sides in expanding dialogue and exploring new opportunities for collaboration, including the exchange of expertise and the development of mutually beneficial projects in the energy sector.
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Kazakhstan produces over 1mn tons of meat in 11M2025
Kazakhstan’s livestock industry is showing steady growth across all key areas, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Positive dynamics is observed both in the number of farm animals and in the volume of products manufactured.
The cattle population increased by 2.7% to reach 8.3 million head. The number of calves rose to 2.8 million, which is 17.8% more compared to the same period last year.
The horse population grew by 6.9% to 4.4 million head, with 1 million foals born (an increase of 8.8%).
The number of camels rose by 6.3% to 300 thousand head, with 53.8 thousand camel calves (+5.9%).
The poultry population increased by 8.8% to 48.5 million head.
The sheep population reached 19.6 million head, with 7.7 million lambs born, showing a 5% increase.
During the reporting period, the country produced 1,021.6 thousand tons of meat of all types, which is 3% higher than in 2024. This includes: 358.8 thousand tons of beef (351.4 thousand tons in 2024), 111.8 thousand tons of mutton (109.1 thousand tons), 146.8 thousand tons of horse meat (140 thousand tons), 337.1 thousand tons of poultry meat (326.3 thousand tons), and others.
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President Tokayev Meets with Shingo Ueno, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation
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President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Shingo Ueno, Representative Director, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s largest and most influential trading and investment companies, akorda.kz reports.
The President of Kazakhstan noted that our country highly values Sumitomo’s commitment to sustainable growth and responsible business practices, and considers the company a long-term strategic partner.
In turn, Shingo Ueno informed the Head of State about the preparation of a joint project with the national atomic company Kazatomprom in the field of nuclear medicine. The project aims to develop scientifically grounded approaches to the production of medical radioisotopes from by-products of uranium manufacturing.
The interlocutors also discussed prospects for implementing joint investment projects in transportation and logistics, energy, nuclear industry, metallurgy and geological exploration.
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