Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to boost bilateral trade with new railway link in place

Freights transported along the new railway route Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran are to reach 15 million tons by 2020, a Tengrinews journalist reports, citing Magtymguly Akmyradov, Turkmenistan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kazakhstan.

“Before the end of the year the railway corridor is going to be launched. According to some estimates, the freights may reach 15 million tons by 2020, with transit freights standing at 3 million tons”, he said at a press-conference in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital city.
According to Mr. Akmyradov , the railway link Uzen (Kazakhstan) – Kyzylkaya – Bereket – Etrek (Turkmenistan) – Gorgan (Iran) totals 934.5 km, with the longest part (722.5 km) running across Turkmenistan. The Kazakhstan’s section makes up 130 km, with the other 82 km running across Iran.

“Last year the bilateral trade turnover stood at $340 million, much lower than the potential to be unleashed. The new link will boost the trade, with Kazakhstan enjoying new opportunities to boost exports, grain exports in the first place, to Iran and other nations of the Persian Gulf”, he said.

According to him, Turkmenistan exports textiles, carpets, products of oil and petroleum industries. However, Kazakhstan’s exports to Turkmenistan are substantially bigger.

“My dream is to open a shop of Turkmenistan-made products here in Kazakhstan … carpets, textiles (…) silver jewelries (…) we are working to launch such a shop”, he said.