The Minister of Trade and Integration, Serik Zhumangarin, said how to curb the off-season shortage of vegetables and sugar in 2023, reports Kazinform correspondent.
“We have determined the most important issues that will increase the price, taking into account last year’s mistakes. First, the problem of vegetables arises in winter and spring, in June. In particular, it will be necessary to provide potatoes, onions, cabbage and carrots. The current stock of these vegetables will last until the end of March. We learned to keep it properly. Currently, all social enterprise corporations have signed contracts with manufacturers within the framework of the “circulation scheme”. And what will we do in April and May? We went abroad and signed contracts with producers in Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The next step is for local executive bodies. They have to transfer funds. In our opinion, this scheme should be implemented in the “B2B” model through trade networks,” he said after the extended board meeting of the department.
The Ministry announced that a preliminary contract has been signed with Pakistani producers so that there is no shortage of potatoes like this year.
“For example, Pakistan is waiting for us in January. Now they have a climate similar to our summer. That is, when the fruit is ripe. The price is determined, and a contract must be signed at that price. The situation is similar in Tajikistan. In Uzbekistan, the crop will ripen in 1-2 months. Our main goal is not to create an off-season deficit within these contracts,” he said.
Media representatives asked whether there is a guarantee that there will be no shortage of these products this year.
“I cannot make any promises that there will be no shortage this year. Because it depends on the actual situation. Today, something is changing every day. God willing, we promise that there will be no shortage, unless there are crises. Because we are ready – all contracts are ready, funds are allocated. Now we are waiting for the decision of the local executive bodies. If the decision is correct, there will be funds. It remains only to bring early ripening cucumbers from abroad. This is an important issue. And I believe that the problem of sugar has been solved. The system is ready, the structure is ready. It remains to supply our factories with raw materials. It has the capacity to process 400-450 thousand tons of sugar cane. Due to this, dependence on sugar imports will decrease,” said Serik Zhumangarin.
