The Director General and CEO of the International IFPA met with Chairman of the Union of Potato and Vegetable Growers of Kazakhstan

On June 9, 2021, International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) held a bilateral meeting with the Chairman of the Union of Potato and Vegetable Growers of Kazakhstan (“the Union”) which is an association of organizations active in the vegetable and potato industry to coordinate activities and protect the interest of this industry. The 156 members of the Union cover the entire supply chain including producers, processors as well as suppliers of seed material, plant protection products, manufacturers of agricultural equipment and specialized equipment. This industry is demanding an investment on the farmer to develop the infrastructure of the farms.

The Chairman of the Union, Mr. Kairat Bissetayev shared about the possibility of building a potato processing plant in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. After potato variety testing and identifing the region for the project construction of a substantial export-oriented factory, this major project will be fully realised and all the products will be export-ready for the OIC Islamic countries.

In his turn, H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan, Director General and CEO of International IFPA stated that IFPA is very pleased to welcome the Union of Potato and Vegetable Growers of Kazakhstan as one of its key honorary members within the global OIC network of IFPA and through effective coordination and collaboration, they will help increase the contribution in attracting foreign direct investments and Islamic financing to boost the potential of the potato and vegetable sector for exports into the CIS region and the wider OIC markets.

 

International IFPA and JSC QazTrade held a meeting to discuss cooperation in the field of trade expansion into OIC markets

On June 9, 2021, International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) held a round table meeting with key heads of JSC Center for Trade Policy Development QazTrade (“QazTrade”) which is a body established under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Its main activities include providing analytical, consulting, informational and technical support for improving the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of foreign trade, dissemination of information and knowledge about the modern system of international trade and the principles of its regulation and trade policy measures.

During the lively discussion, parties highlighted the importance of beneficial cooperation for an effective partnership to contribute to developing export potential of enterprises and their goods, conducting feasibility studies and market analysis of potential export markets and organizing a marketing campaign to promote the products together with the formation of a package of necessary documents for the export of goods and services with the study of trade barriers and the development of proposals for their elimination. In particular the focus will be on logistics, export-oriented projects, e-commerce and other initiatives for business entities willing to enter Islamic markets of the OIC.

Both parties agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding very soon and establish joint working groups to continue their mutual discussions to make their combined services and benefits available to all export-oriented companies of Kazakhstan in the agri-food sector.

Representatives of the National Association of Exporters “KazGrain” visited headquarters of International IFPA

On June 9, 2021, International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) held a meeting with representatives of the National Association of Exporters KazGrain (“KazGrain”) – one of the largest and most influential unions in the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan. It boasts more than 64 companies and organizations, whose activity is related to the production, storage, cleaning, drying, decontamination, processing, domestic and international trade of grain and grain products, barley, sunflower oil and flaxseeds.

At the meeting H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan, Director General and CEO of IFPA, and Mr. Zeinolla Abdumanapov, the Chairman of the KazGrain discussed increasing grain quality and certification of the product, organization of the grain market infrastructure, providing financial support and investment to the sector, insurance, supply, transportation, and other services that support the operations of the grain sector. To reaffirm the trust, the parties have entered into a membership agreement which defines the framework for future cooperation between the two entities whereby KazGrain will be a valuable honorary member of IFPA and its members will enjoy all benefits and also join as corporate members to receive IFPA’s services in export assistance and investment attraction from the OIC markets.