Astana, Kazakhstan, April 3. Ministry of Trade
and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan has issued a
statement regarding the new U.S. customs duties on a range of
goods, Trend
reports.
The Ministry noted that a preliminary analysis of the new trade
measures being implemented by the U.S. side showed that a
significant portion of Kazakhstan’s exports to the U.S. is not
subject to additional tariffs, as it is included in the list of
exemptions provided by U.S. administrative regulations.
“The core of Kazakhstan’s exports to the U.S. consists of crude
oil, uranium, silver, ferroalloys, and others. These categories,
which account for 92 percent of supplies, are included in the list
of exemptions provided by the U.S. President’s Decree ‘On
Regulating Imports Through Reciprocal Tariffs to Eliminate Trade
Practices Leading to a Significant and Persistent U.S. Trade
Deficit in Goods’,” the Ministry’s statement said.
Moreover, it was noted that the additional tariffs will apply to
certain groups of goods, the export of which amounted to $95.2
million in 2024. These include phosphorus ($15.9 million in exports
in 2024), ferrosilicon ($12.7 million), lenses ($4.1 million),
wheat gluten ($4 million), and ammonium nitrate ($2.4 million).
“The introduced tariff measures will affect only 4.8 percent of
the total volume of Kazakhstan’s exports to the U.S. The government
is initiating consultations with the U.S. side to discuss the
possibility of excluding additional duties for Kazakhstan,” the
Ministry emphasized.
The Ministry also noted that the Republic of Kazakhstan has been
a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for about 10 years
and strictly adheres to its principles in implementing foreign
trade policies.
“As part of bilateral cooperation with the U.S., Kazakhstan
ensures equal and non-discriminatory trade conditions following
international commitments,” the Ministry of Trade and Integration
of Kazakhstan concluded.
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan,
the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the U.S. reached $4.2
billion in 2024, which is 4 percent higher compared to the previous
year ($4.1 billion). Kazakhstan’s exports to the U.S. grew by 30.6
percent and amounted to $2.0 billion. The import of goods from the
U.S. to Kazakhstan amounted to $2.2 billion.
On April 2 each year, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that
he would impose the highest tariffs on Kazakhstan among the Central
Asian countries – 27 percent, compared to 10 percent for its
neighbors.