Kazakhstan may import airplanes and sugar at zero duties

Kazakhstan will be able to import airplanes and sugar at zero customs duties. Ms. Zhanar Aitzhanova, Minister for Economic Integration said speaking about the goods that Kazakhstan will be able to import without customs duties after the Customs Union is activated, Tengrinews.kz reports. “Kazakhstan sugar factories have a right to import raw cane sugar duty-free for 10 years. Currently there is practically no facilities capable of producing sugar and not enough sugar beet to produce it from. The zero duties will give the local sugar a chance to be competitive amid the growing global raw cane sugar prices,” Zhanar Aitzhanova said during Nur Otan party's roundtable on economic policy in Majilis (lower Chamber of Parliament) on May 16. The Minister said that before July 2014 Kazakhstan and Belarus will be able to import airplanes and sugar at zero duties. According to the Minister, Air Astana has already obtained two liners taking advantage of the situation. According to Aitzhanova, Kazakhstan has agreed with its Customs Union counterparts that it has a right to impose lower import taxes on 409 goods. The exemption will be applied only during the transit period of up to 5 years. The list includes medications, medical equipment and raw materials for consumer industry, Aitzhanova said. By Renat Tashkinbayev