In the Address by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, titled “A Just Kazakhstan: Law and Order, Economic Growth, Public Optimism,” the development of trade and the expansion of the country’s export potential are identified as among the most important priorities of state policy. The Head of State set specific goals: to strengthen the position of domestic producers, increase the volume of non-resource exports, and create favorable conditions for small and medium-sized businesses. To implement the President’s directives, the Government is establishing transparent business regulations, developing domestic trade, and building the infrastructure necessary for Kazakhstani goods to enter foreign markets.

As a result of the comprehensive measures being taken, the sector is demonstrating steady growth: from January to July 2025, trade volume increased by 8.6%, and investments in the first half of the year grew by 37%, reaching 438 billion tenge.

“Over 800,000 businesses are involved in trade, providing jobs for more than 1.5 million people,” notes Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliev.

Market Protection and Promotion of Kazakhstani Goods

The government has developed regulatory measures aimed at protecting the domestic market and supporting domestic producers. In May 2025, amendments were made to the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan regarding the determination of the country of origin of goods. A unified Register of Domestic producers is being created, where data on actual companies will be compiled, ensuring their access to state support measures as well as to government and quasi-government procurement.

To stimulate trade and increase the share of domestic goods on store shelves, a program has been launched requiring that at least 50% of shelf space be reserved for products from Kazakhstani manufacturers.

At the same time, active efforts are underway to restrict access to the domestic market for substandard and unsafe products.

“The Situation Headquarters, involving all regulatory agencies, is actively operating. Over 47,000 vehicles have been inspected; in terms of gross weight, this amounts to more than 600,000 tons of livestock products. At the same time, more than 900 vehicles were turned back, and over 1,000 certificates of conformity were revoked,” emphasizes Arman Shakkaliev.

Support for exporters and promotion of products abroad

To diversify and increase non-resource exports, the Export-Credit Agency operates, providing a full range of financial instruments through a “one-stop shop” approach.

In the first seven months of 2025, the volume of support provided increased by more than 200 billion tenge compared to the same period last year, reaching 394 billion tenge. Particular attention is paid to small and medium-sized businesses, which account for 71% of all supported projects. At the same time, the share of medium- and high-value-added products reaches 83%.

An international infrastructure is being established to strengthen the external promotion of Kazakhstani goods. In China, partner offices and national pavilions have been opened in Chengdu, Urumqi, Nanjing, and Shandong Province. In Uzbekistan, a representative office of Kazakhstan operates within the “Termez” International Center. Active efforts to promote exports are underway in the UAE, Turkey, India, Iran, and China.

In addition, business missions are being conducted in priority countries, and domestic products are being promoted on international e-commerce platforms, including jd.com, Douyin, and Alibaba.

New Rules for a Transparent and Competitive Exchange Market

In accordance with the President’s instructions, the Law on Exchange Trading was adopted in December 2024, aimed at developing a competitive environment to establish transparent rules for market operations.

“The concept of a ‘socially significant exchange-traded commodity’ has been legally established, as it is of key importance for ensuring energy and food security. ‘All of this will ensure transparent pricing and guarantee a stable supply of these commodities to the domestic market, eliminating speculation,’ commented Arman Shakkaliev, Minister of Trade and Integration.

In addition, a competitive selection mechanism has been introduced for exchanges authorized to trade socially significant commodities. This prevents the creation of affiliated entities and guarantees equal access for participants to trading platforms.

New mechanisms to assist socially vulnerable groups

In accordance with the President’s directive on the phased abandonment of direct price regulation while ensuring effective targeted support for socially vulnerable groups of citizens, amendments and additions were made in April 2024 to the legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan governing business operations.

“In accordance with these changes, we are moving away from direct price regulation for socially significant goods and transitioning to targeted social assistance. The mechanism for setting threshold and ceiling prices for socially significant goods is being eliminated in favor of strengthening control over the 15% markup,” emphasizes Arman Shakkaliev.

A pilot project called “Digital Food Voucher” is currently being implemented in the preparatory phase to test the targeted assistance mechanism. Under this project, recipients are provided with food vouchers that allow them to purchase socially significant goods at the purchase price without a markup, ensuring the targeted and equitable distribution of assistance.

“All instructions from the Head of State are under special supervision. The implementation of each measure is proceeding according to plan; the tasks will be completed to a high standard and within the established deadlines,” notes the Minister of Trade and Integration.

The set of measures to develop trade and non-resource exports demonstrates a systematic and consistent approach to fulfilling the President’s directives. Government measures are aimed at creating a sustainable foundation for economic growth, enhancing competitiveness, and integrating Kazakhstan into international trade chains.