A significant portion of Kazakhstan's exports to the United States will not be subject to the new 27% tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, Vlast.kz reports.
The ministry clarified that this is a preliminary analysis, but the Kazakh government will initiate consultations with the U.S. authorities to discuss the possibility of exempting Kazakhstan from the additional tariffs.
Unlike other Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan is subject to a 27% tariff, considering its existing 57% tariffs on U.S. imports.
"A preliminary analysis of the new trade measures introduced by the U.S. shows that a significant portion of Kazakhstan’s exports to the United States is exempt from the additional tariffs, as they are included in the exception list outlined in the U.S. administration’s regulations," the ministry stated.
Kazakhstan’s main exports to the U.S. include crude oil, uranium, silver, and ferroalloys. According to the ministry, these categories—accounting for 92% of total exports—are exempt from the additional tariffs under the U.S. presidential decree "On Import Regulation through Reciprocal Tariffs to Eliminate Trade Practices Leading to a Significant and Sustained U.S. Goods Trade Deficit."
However, certain goods - with total exports to the U.S. in 2024 amounting to $95.2 million - will be subject to additional tariffs. These include:
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Phosphorus ($15.9 million in 2024),
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Ferrosilicon ($12.7 million),
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Lenses ($4.1 million),
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Wheat gluten ($4 million),
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Ammonium nitrate ($2.4 million).
"The introduced tariff measures will only affect 4.8% of Kazakhstan's total exports to the U.S. The government is initiating consultations with the American side to discuss the possibility of exempting Kazakhstan from the additional tariffs," the Kazakh Ministry of Trade emphasized.
According to Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and the U.S. in 2024 reached $4.2 billion, an increase of 4% compared to the previous year. Kazakhstan's exports to the U.S. grew by 30.6%, reaching $2 billion, while imports amounted to $2.2 billion.
The reasons behind the increased tariffs on Kazakhstan were not explained.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 3, 2025