Interview - taxes on oil export will not influence the voluem of Kazakhstan export

/REUTERS, Almaty, Mariya Gordeeva, April 30, 08/ - Introducing of export taxes on hydrocarbon export and temporary prohibition on grain export in Kazakhstan won't influence the total volume of export flood, - Saule Ahmatova said in the interview to Reuters, vice chairman of corporation administration on development and export advance. "Because of pretty low stake of foodstuffs, including grain - 4% in total volume of export won't make significant influence on the volumes of export taxes" - she said. "Introduced taxes on oil export also won't change the dynamic of export volume, as tax will impose on companies, which contracts are not provide for stability of tax amount" - Ahmetova added. According to Statistic agency data, the volume of Kazakhstan export in 2007 made $47.7 bn., about 66% came to the stake of fuel and energy products, the other 34% on different commodity group, metals and metal wares, live and phytogenic products, cars and equipments, textile and textile goods. "The current situation in export sphere is explained by the low competitiveness, of domestic manufactured products compare to foreign analog and also inability of Kazakhstan producers to follow the demands of export markets" - Ahmetova said. By her words, the pretty good export potential has enterprises of food and chemical sphere and also mechanical engineering. In 2007 the stake of manufactured products in total volume of export made 28.4% and decreased for the last 5 years by 1.6%. "Export of goods with the higher value added, like cars, devices, consumer goods are still insignificant, and the stake of these goods makes 3%, showing the declining tendency during last 5 years (6% in 2002)" - she said. The stake of primary sector in Kazakhstan export made 68.6% of total export of $32.7 bn. in 2007. "Export deals mostly bear irregular, more accident than systematic character. Even if they enter on foreign market, enterprises not always can remain there; very often companies made and don't made exports for year" - Ahmetova said. By Corporation calculating, the dynamic of manufactured products export demonstrate uneven character year by year. Thus, in 2007 the growth of manufactured products export made about 30%, compare to 2006 and reached $13.5 m. At the same time, the most increase was in export of manufactured foodstuff - 53.5%. Previous years (2003-2006) the growth made 15%, 74%, 22% and 47% correspondently. Instability of export dynamic of manufactured products "reflects the absence of purposeful, address policy of the government, providing concentration of efforts on export diversification". By her words, the current foreign trade legislation badly touches the questions of development and export advance and don't provide with incentives. In Ahmetova opinion, the government objective to create conditions, in which producing and exporting of manufactured products will be easy and profitable. For this it is necessary to adopt new law, which is directed to export development in Kazakhstan; the export in which instruments, mechanisms and procedures of financing of address state stimulation will be determined. "All countries acted in this way, they took the rout on export development and successfully realize it. Besides, in Kazakhstan it is necessary to simplify trade procedures" - Ahmetova said. "The world practice shows that potential profits from simplifying of trade procedures are evaluating on the level of 2-3% of total value of world trade volume" - she said. Besides, in Ahmetova opinion, introduction of export taxes won't influence in the process of Kazakhstan entering in World Trade Organization (WTO). "Introducing of any tax is the right of every country and WTO admits this right. But main question is the amount of tax and also their validity "- Ahmetova considers. "The main principal of these agreements is equal in rights approach to foreign and domestic suppliers, but not presence or absence of taxes" - she explained. [2008-04-30]