ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN, July 27, 2006—U.S. agribusiness representatives today concluded a large trade and investment mission to Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan, led by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.
"The U.S. agribusiness organizations on this mission represent the best of the American entrepreneurial spirit," said Johanns. "Their presence during this past week reflects their interest and confidence in Kazakhstan and the trade and investment opportunities developing here."
The U.S. companies and associations are interested in identifying investment partners and opportunities and in forming partnerships with local agricultural industry entrepreneurs. They want to find markets for their products and services, explore investment and joint venture opportunities, and also to buy goods from Kazakhstan.
The 18 U.S. companies and associations taking part in this mission deal in farm and food service equipment, agrichemicals, animal genetics, meat, poultry, rice, and processed fruits and nuts. They also include firms that specialize in irrigation and desalinization, engineering, management, and finance. The participants demonstrate the diverse U.S. sectors interested in establishing commercial ties with Kazakhstan. Some companies are already doing business in Kazakhstan.
They have met with local agricultural industry entrepreneurs and Kazakhstani government officials. Site visits to agribusinesses allowed them to observe the day-to-day operations of local businesses.
Johanns and other government officials met with the President, Deputy Prime Minister, Agriculture Minister and other officials concerning policies and regulations affecting the Kazakhstani trade and investment system.
Johanns also announced that he and Agriculture Minister Akhmedzhan Yesimov will develop a cooperative agreement that will facilitate expanded cooperation in agriculture technology including biotechnology and trade capacity building. The plan is that the agreement will be concluded and signed when President Nazarbayev and Minister Yesimov visit the United States later this year.
A listing of private sector U.S. trade and investment mission participants is attached.
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Release No. 0266.06
FAS PR 0090-06
Contact:
Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623
| Private Sector U.S. Trade and Investment Mission Participants |
| Company or Assocation | Representatives | Location | Product or Service |
| Case New Holland | Arthur Miles Joseph Samora Steven Nadherny | Lake Forest, Ill. | Farm equipment |
| John Deere | Ivan Vovchok Johen Voigt Mustafa Sahin | Moline, Ill. | Farm equipment |
| Amity Technology | Nickolay Ryabov | Fargo, ND | Farm equipment, sugarbeets |
| Dow AgroSciences | Andrey Vernigor | Indianapolis, Ind. | Agrichemicals |
| World Wide Sires, Ltd. | Tony Evangelo | Visalia, Calif. | Animal genetics |
| ABS Global | Todor Arbov | DeForest, Wis. | Animal genetics |
| National Meat Association | Jeremy Russell | Oakland, Calif. | Meat exports |
| Intervision Foods | Jim Wayt | Atlanta, Ga. | Meat and poultry exports |
| U.S. Rice Producers Association | Greg Yielding | Houston, Texas | Rice exports |
| Valmont Irrigation, Inc. | Richard D. Berkland | Valley, Neb. | Irrigation equipment |
| Sweetwater International, Inc. | Edward W. Jackson | Salt Lake City, Utah | Desalinization equipment |
| FOODPRO International, Inc. | Bill Washburn Olga Osipova | San José, Calif. | Consulting and engineering |
| Agribusiness Management Company | Nicholas Pribus Mike Jung Erlan Sagadiev | Omaha, Neb. | Management and finance |
| Midamar Corporation | Bill Aossey Jim Williams | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Food service supplies and equipment |
| FoodSource, Inc. | Syed Hussain | Hinsdale, Ill. | Processed fruit and nut supplies |
| The Wornick Company | Paul Dupont | Cincinnati, Ohio | MRE’s |
| U.S.-Kazakhstan Business Association | William Veale | Washington, DC | Business community representation |
| Globex International | Leonid Kogan Dimitri Belash | New York, NY | Meat and poultry exports |
