On June 16, 2021, the International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) held a round table meeting with the President of the Association of Confectioners of Kazakhstan (“the Association”). The entity was created 15 years ago and nowadays integrates more than 30 members with the full chain capacity to supply 80 percent of confectioneries to the domestic market.

          The Association is the only entity that monitors the condition of the domestic confectionery market and constantly seeks measures to protect the interests of confectionery industry enterprises.

       The confectionery sector is considered one of the most profitable niches, with a significantly increased demand in the last decades. The value of exports of sugar confectionery from Kazakhstan totaled $30 million in recent years and confectionery companies can boast guaranteed stability of their production and quality. However, the domestic market, filled with local products and manufacturers, are considering options for penetrating other countries, especially the appealing markets are the OIC countries, according to Mr. Alikhan Talgatbek, the President of the Association.

          The Director General and CEO of IFPA, H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan stated that IFPA aims to develop direct relationships across the private sectors in OIC member states and through effective coordination and collaboration, it will assist in dealing with procedural barriers, operating transactions with indigenous customers, tariff barriers, meeting export quality requirements, foreign standards and other trade specifications.

         The parties expressed their determination in the close collaboration to reinforce the growth of export activities and agreed to hold the next meeting shortly to further advance cooperation through signing an honorary membership agreement.