Alberta agriculture minister Verlyn Olson was struck during his 10-day trade mission to Kazakhstan by the country’s similarities to Alberta.
Driving in Kazakhstan made Olson think of driving on Highway 36 between Hanna and Brooks, but with fewer roads and fences.
Those kinds of similarities have governments and agricultural businesses excited about the possibility of doing business in a country rich in energy resources and wanting to grow its agriculture industry.
The Kazakhstan government has set aside $900 million to invest in its agriculture industry over the next few years. That’s equivalent to the value of 75,000 head of cattle.
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“This country has great oil wealth,” Olson said.
“They definitely have money to spend and are wanting to diversify away from their oil economy.”
Exports of Alberta agricultural goods to Kazakhstan, mostly cattle, pigs and horse meat, jumped to $5 million last year from $875,000 in 2011. However, a trade mission to Kazakhstan in 2012 was estimated to have generated an additional $25 million in livestock, genetics and goods and services.
Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency board chair Dr. David Chalack said there are tremendous opportunities in Kazakhstan, especially in the cattle industry, with its similarities to Alberta.
“The demand for live cattle, semen, embryos and services is truly very significant. I would describe it as a new frontier,” said Chalack. “There are all kinds of opportunities.”
Gordon Stephenson, general manager of the Canadian Hereford Association, has been to Kazakhstan three times, including the latest trade mission with the federal and Alberta agriculture ministers.
About 4,000 head of Hereford genetics have been exported to Kazakhstan and Russia in the last four years.
These kinds of trade missions help cement partnerships between countries, especially with competition from the United States and Australia.
Part of the Hereford association’s interest is a partnership with Lakeland College to develop the Almaty Farm School in Kazakhstan to teach cattle managers how to deal with purebred cattle operations.
Kazakhstan’s native cattle are called Whiteface, which originated from Herefords in the 1960s and 1970s but have adapted to the harsher climate.
