Reaching the consumers

Marketing opportunities

Consumer behavior

More than half of the Kazakhs live in cities, mostly in Almaty, Chimkent, Qyzylorda, Astana and Atyrau. There is a strong disparity of salaires on one part between different regions and on the other part between the sectors of activity: the salaries received in finance and mines are the highest, those of employees in social service, health and in education are the lowest.

Consumer profile and purchasing power

Price is a business driver in Kazakhstan. The after sales service does not seem to be important for the consumer who is less used to this type of service.

 

Generally, the consumer hardly depends upon the distributor and the disrespect for guarantees is rather frequent. The National league of consumers has begun to make its voice heard and plays an increasing role of a mediator for the consumers in disputes against the manufacturers

 

The country of origin of the product is important concerning a very wide range of consumer goods. Kazakh consumers have the tendency to buy products from United States, Germany, Italy or Japan and tend to reject Russian, Chinese or national products.

 

A study on consumption for the period 2001-2006 is available in Russian on the website of Agency of Statistics.

Consumers associations

National Consumer league of Kazakhstan

Main advertising agencies

The website "Reklame Kazakhstan" lists the companies working in the advertising sector.
This website lists the advertising agencies in Kazakhstan
Kuik is specialised in typesetting advertising

Distributing a product

Market shares

The main distributors of food products, clothing, perfumery, and other everyday consumption products are Boutya, Interfood and Smat.

Organizations in the retail sector

Association of markets and trading sector companies and services of Kazakhstan (for contact : riza_group@mail.ru).It is a member of the company and employer's union "Atameken".

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboudary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal

Main International economic cooperation

Kazakhstan is a member of the Organisation of Shanghai Cooperation, the Euroasian Economic Community, the Common Economic Area and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation.

Non tariff barriers

Today, most goods can be imported without licence although each time a signed contract has to be shown to the authorities. However, an import licence is necessary for any set of products: chemicals, medicines, medical equipment, oil exploration and waste equipment...
Import of narcotics, arms and ammunitions is prohibited.

 

 

See portal for information on taxes and custom duties.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

Customs duty is variable as per the products. The customs duty is calculated on the CNF value of the goods (transactional value + packing cost + transport cost). Few products are exempted from import duty. In export, nearly all products are exempted from custom duty. 

Excise duties are collected on the following products: alcoholic drinks, tobacco, oil products, private cars, jewellery, leather and fur garments, crystals, salmon and caviar. The excise duty tariff can vary from 7 to 100%.

Visit the information portal on taxes and customs duty.

Customs classification

Visit the information portal on taxes and customs duties.

Import procedures

Visit the website of Customs Authorities as well as the document "Doing Business in Kazakhstan: 2008 Country".

Importing samples

The declarations can be made through Internet on the website "Web-deklarant".

For further information

Customs Control Committee

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means

Kazakshtan is a country enclosed in the heart of Euroasia. The main means of goods transport are railways, road and air transport.

Ports

Aktau International Port
Atyrau port

Airports

Almaty International Airport

Sea transport organizations

Authority for transports and communications routes of the Ministry of Transport and Communications

Air transport organizations

Civil Aviation Authority of the Ministry of Transport and Communication

Road transport organizations

Road Transport Authority of the Ministry of Transport and Communication

Rail transport organizations

Kazakh Railways

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

Production of hydrocarbons : 55.5 million tons of crude oil and 29.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2007. Apart from these raw materials, Kazakhstan produces minerals whose reserves are still less explored. Production of iron ore in Karaganda. Siderurgy and non ferrous metallurgy: refined copper, lead, zinc, bauxite (Alumina plant in Pavlodar), uranium (15% of the world's reserves), tungsten, nickel (Uralnikel complex near Orsk city), manganese, gold, silver.... Coal mines in Karaganda and Ekibasturz. Production of tractors, and other agricultural machines, construction material, electric motors.

Business directories

Yellow pages of Kazakhstan
Kompass in Kazakhstan

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

Union of Beer brewers
Union of Producers Food and Processing Industries
Association of Mining sector and Metallurgy companies
Association of Hydrocarbon sector companies

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Chamber of commerce and industry Astana, Kazakhstan
American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan

Enterprises federation

Atameken: Union of entrepreneurs (in kazakh)
Association of Small scale industries