Interview with the Director of "Atameken Agro Trade" LLP

ВопросHow do you assess the current season from a trading perspective? What are your expectations for the season?
ОтветThe current season is assessed positively from the trading point of view. Favorable weather conditions contributed to a high gross harvest of not only grain, but also legumes and oilseeds. Although it is too early to talk about the quality of the products, since it is finally formed in the period from the third ten days of July to the first ten days of August, we expect a large volume of products. This is a positive factor for us.
ВопросWhat new markets do you see for your company's products?
ОтветAt the moment, the main sales markets for our products are several key segments. First of all, these are traditional sales markets for grain crops in the countries of Central Asia and the countries of Europe - for the supply of hard wheat, oilseeds and legumes.
In addition, we see several promising areas for sales growth this year based on current market trends. First of all, there is great potential in the Chinese market. And we are actively exploring new markets for lentils in the Middle East to reduce our dependence on Turkish traders, as they have not been offering the most favorable conditions lately due to logistical constraints. If we are able to successfully enter these markets, this will have a positive impact on our pulse sales and create opportunities to improve our market position.
ВопросHow has the market changed over the past year and what trends do you see for the future?
ОтветOne positive factor is the introduction of new sanctions by European countries, which limit the import of Russian goods. This creates opportunities for Kazakh goods in European markets, as products with a Kazakh certificate of origin now have access to these markets. However, these conditions also lead to Russia being forced to look for new, less traditional markets, which may affect pricing on the world market. In particular, we are already seeing that Iran, which used to be a significant buyer, has now switched to other sources of supply, which changes the dynamics of competition in the market.
ВопросWhat are the competitive advantages of your products in international markets?
ОтветFirstly, grain crops from Kazakhstan, including wheat, are known for their high protein, protein and gluten content, which makes them among the best in the world. Grown in optimal climatic conditions and using advanced agronomic technologies, they meet high quality standards.
Secondly, our holding has a ramified infrastructure, including its own elevators and logistics facilities, which allows us to effectively manage large volumes of products and ensure reliable deliveries. We guarantee the fulfillment of all contractual obligations, which confirms our reliability and allows us to offer competitive conditions on the market.
Thirdly, it is our ability to grow almost all commercial produce in the region, which allows us to offer a wider and more comprehensive range of services, increasing our versatility and reliability as a supplier.

ВопросHow does your company ensure high quality products?
ОтветFirst of all, our company carefully controls the quality of products at every stage of their production. We monitor the process from the selection of seeds to the final product that arrives at the elevator.
We provide full management of the technological chain of production without involving subcontractors. This allows us to guarantee high quality of products and full transparency in the use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. Our ability to control all stages of production contributes to the reliability of supplies and timely fulfillment of all obligations to customers.
ВопросHow do you build relationships with international clients and partners? What are the key factors important for successful cooperation?
ОтветWe build relationships with international clients and partners based on long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation, focusing on several key factors. First of all, we focus on the reliability of deliveries, high quality of contract execution and strict adherence to deadlines. This is achieved through the introduction of advanced technologies and management systems, which ensures high accuracy and reliability in fulfilling all obligations.
We are proud of our reputation as a reliable partner and offer comprehensive solutions that fully meet the requirements of our clients. Our goal is to build strong and productive business relationships that promote mutual growth and successful implementation of joint projects.
We view trading not only as a process of concluding transactions, but also as a continuous effort to maintain and strengthen relationships with participants in transactions, both on the buying and selling side.
ВопросWhat challenges do you face as a trading company and what measures do you take to address them?
ОтветWe face several key challenges, the main one being logistics related. In particular, the ageing of the rolling stock and the limited management capabilities of the railway transport under the control of the monopolist. These factors contribute to increased downtime and higher transportation costs, which negatively affects the efficiency of the supply chain.
Unfortunately, there are factors that are beyond our control. But on our part, to ensure delivery deadlines and product quality, we are actively forming a pool of proven logistics service providers and optimizing the loading and unloading processes of wagons, which will reduce downtime and increase efficiency.

ВопросWhat steps are you taking to improve business processes and increase customer service efficiency?
ОтветTo achieve this, we plan to implement a number of comprehensive measures. First, we will focus on synchronizing the interaction between service providers and their recipients. This will be achieved by introducing clear regulations for the execution of goods and transport documents, which will help minimize problems during customs clearance and speed up the process of receiving products.
In addition to these measures, we are actively implementing innovative technologies to optimize our business processes. In particular, we are updating the IT infrastructure and modernizing the contract accounting system, which includes improving control over their execution. One of the key steps is the implementation of the Agrostream program as a general trading program, which will significantly improve the efficiency of our operations and contribute to better interaction with clients.