"Atameken" Proposes to Ease Export Rules in the Meat Industry

Amid the stabilization of the domestic market and steady growth in production indicators, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan, "Atameken," has initiated a review of export policy in the meat sector. The business community’s main proposal is a gradual abandonment of quotas and simplification of enterprise access to foreign markets.

Current restrictions on beef exports (a quota of 20,000 tons for six months) were introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture at the end of 2025 in response to a sharp increase in meat prices. However, according to industry experts, by early 2026 the market situation had changed significantly:

• Production indicators: In the first 10 months of 2025, beef production reached 318 thousand tons, exceeding the previous year’s figures by 4 thousand tons.

• Price dynamics: Since October 2025, no growth in beef prices has been recorded in the domestic market.

• Self-sufficiency: At present, Kazakhstan meets more than 100% of domestic beef demand, while livestock numbers and reproduction rates continue to grow steadily.

Erken Naurzbekov, Director of the Agro-Industrial Complex Department at Atameken, emphasized that last year’s price surge was caused by objective economic factors: rising feed costs, increased tariffs for electricity and fuel, which directly affected livestock maintenance costs.

One of the main obstacles to export development remains the strict qualification requirements for exporters themselves. Currently, the right to receive a quota is granted only to companies that simultaneously possess:

1. Their own meat processing complex.

2. A fattening facility with a capacity of at least 5,000 heads.

This approach effectively monopolizes the export market, excluding a significant number of efficiently operating enterprises. Accordingly, Atameken proposes to remove the mandatory requirement for large fattening facilities, thereby expanding the pool of potential exporters. This issue is currently under active discussion with the Ministry of Agriculture.

The need to relax the rules is also dictated by long-term state goals. The recently approved Comprehensive Meat Livestock Development Plan for 2026–2030 sets ambitious objectives:

• Significant increase in livestock numbers.

• Doubling meat export shipments by 2030.

Experts agree that achieving these targets is impossible without eliminating administrative barriers and creating a transparent system for distributing export opportunities.