Kazakhstan Alleges Uzbekistan Introduced Hidden $300 Cement Pricing Rule Affecting Exports
The head of Kazakhstan’s Cement and Concrete Producers Association QazCem, Erbol Akimbayev, has claimed that Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers issued a confidential order in July that disrupted cement exports to the country. Speaking to Forbes Kazakhstan, he said the regulation had severely impacted bilateral trade.
According to Akimbayev, the alleged document stipulates that cement imported from Kazakhstan cannot be priced below $300 per tonne, despite Kazakh producers typically selling at around $30. He explained that the order forces exporters to declare their cement at $300 and pay taxes accordingly, making exports unprofitable.
«As a result, in August imports of Kazakh cement to Uzbekistan dropped to zero for the first time in seven years,» Akimbayev said. «At that price, no one in Uzbekistan will buy it. But if Uzbekistan acts this way, Kazakhstan has every right to introduce reciprocal measures.»
Unverified Order Sparks Trade Tension
The QazCem head noted that he could not locate the official order in open sources, though he referred to a photo of the document allegedly shown to him by a border customs officer. He added that the association was already discussing the issue with relevant government bodies and industry partners.
Should Astana decide to respond in kind, Akimbayev warned, such measures could lead to a reduction in imports from Uzbekistan.
He also suggested that while Kazakhstan has long been the main supplier of cement to Uzbekistan, the neighbouring country is now trying to protect its domestic producers amid oversupply in the local market «by any means necessary.»
Kursiv also reports that Kazakhstan aims to sign long-term agreements with Azerbaijan for oil product supplies.
