At the meeting of the Trade Committee of the Presidium NCE RK "Atameken" was presented the structure of the developed program of development and support of retail structure

Representatives of the Ministry of National Economy, the Mazhilis, industry associations and the business community participated at the meeting.

Opening the meeting, chairman of the Committee Kairat Mazhibayev stressed that in the current country’s strategic and policy documents, there are no practical measures on support of the subjects of trade. Given the current state of affairs, and, on the basis of the role played by the trade sector in the economy, development and implementation of new trade support and development program in the Republic of Kazakhstan is a natural effect.

It is expected that the program will include a number of measures of financial support for trade subjects, including the subsidizing of interest rates on loans taken for modernization of retail markets, replenishment of circulating assets of existing enterprises, refinancing of current liabilities, the expansion of production. As well as subsidizing of interest rates on finance leases of commercial equipment; partial guarantee on loans of STB / Development Bank; provision of government grants to small traders; subsidized micro-credits and subsidizing the cost of trade enterprises for priority provision of shelf space for domestic manufacturers of goods, including agricultural products.

Deputy Chairman of NCE Nurzhan Altaev noted that for a long time in Kazakhstan, much attention was paid to the production, so that the country managed to create clusters that did not exist previously. Today, there is a need to pay attention to the sale of goods.
"This requires a clear commodity distribution system in the country and abroad. First and foremost, we must understand how we are going to implement these products at home. We see that other countries in order to get their goods to our market open their own shopping centers. The same thing we have to do and at home, and abroad ", - said deputy chairman of NCE.

To support the retail chains, it is necessary to create a platform of economy-class of modern format, to solve the issues of logistics and cheap loans.

"The world is changing rapidly, as well as new retail formats. Exchange and e-commerce has developed. All these factors are not regulated by legal acts. The program that we are developing in collaboration with the Ministry of national economy reflects such issues: what should the government do in order to develop new types of trade, what should entrepreneurs do and all mutual obligations of the parties. Entrepreneurs need land for the construction of shopping centers, infrastructure, and some cheap loans for working capital in order to be able to quickly procure domestic goods", - said Nurzhan Altaev.

General Director of LLC “Magnum Cash & Carry” Alexander Garber also said that contrary to popular belief that the trade sector can’t develop on its own.

"There is a need to stimulate the development, so that we can close the gap to our neighbors, where retail is developed much more. We are 7-8 years behind neighboring Russia, even more from the European countries. This hinders the activities of producers, inhibits the growth of inter-regional cooperation, which has colossal reserves. Regional manufacturers are in dire need of shelf space. But due to the fact that the industry is not supported, it can’t develop. The country has an acute shortage of shelf space, so there are questions of unfair access to the shelves, the competition for entry to the network, etc.. In fact, there are not enough shelves. As for my network, I can say that we can not physically accommodate all producers on the shelves", - said Alexander Garber.

Mazhilis deputy Pavel Kazantsev said that the development of domestic producers is impossible without the support of retailers. "In developed countries, stores are required to sell products of domestic producers primarily", - he said.

General Director of LLP "Concern" Tsesna-Astyk" Ilya Meshcheryakov among the sphere of trade problems called the lack of training system and the issuance of loans for a short period.

"Today the state fund has the opportunity through STB to give money for 20 years, as the President says, but somehow in the retail and manufacturing business for another production business, they get to a maximum of 10 years. Here's the problem of banks, banking regulations do not allow funding of business for a period longer than 10 years, although there are money for 20-years. For retailers to get pay off with our demand and the number of population and the turnover per square meter, which is 2 times lower, they need it not for 5-7-years, but for 15-20-years, or state participation in the construction of infrastructure facilities, which are the main capital expenses", - said Ilya Meshcheryakov.

The representative of non-government association of taxpayers and accountants Sarah Zhunusova noted that last year 1-5 of her customers, who accounting documentation she managed, 30% left the market because of the various problems that arise on the way of small business.
Special attention during the meeting was paid to the creation of wholesale and distribution centers in Kazakhstan. Deputy Director of Strategic Planning and Analysis of the Ministry of Agriculture Asel Ramazanova said that the construction of retail centers for domestic producers is planned in all major cities of Kazakhstan. This year, WDC will be created in Astana, Almaty and Shymkent on the basis of existing objects of trade. In other cities WDC will appear until 2021.

In Astana WDC was created on the basis of the shopping center "Alai". All the necessary infrastructure has been created with the support of akimat, measures are being taken to open points of customs control and temporary storage. In Almaty, WDC will be available on the basis of the logistics center "Mizam", the preparatory phase is complete. In Shymkent, the object will be completed in the near future ", - she said.

Here comes a reasonable question of entrepreneurs, at the expense of which public funds will be established the trade and distribution centers and will business be able to participate in this, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture could not answer clearly. "Akimat is engaged in definition of the objects", - said Assel Ramazanova.

"Any supermarket chain has its own distribution centers, where to vendors bring their products. They also have experience of working in a commercial environment without state support. Could they be part of this project? There should be no information, no legal or financial discrimination. This is true", - said Kairat Mazhibayev.

The main function of WDC is processing of trade flows associated with consolidation, downsizing of consignments, their acquisition, formation, disbanding in areas transportation, packaging and implementation of complex services.

Consolidating opinion of the participants, the Vice-President of the Association of sales representatives of Kazakhstan Zhibek Azhibaeva stressed the relevance of the developed program.

"We need this industry program so that business knows where to go. Today we have neither the strategy nor tactics. It is necessary to define the forms of financing. Money seems to be everywhere, but they are not linked, and as a result of the declared system does not work in the field. It requires modernization of existing infrastructure facilities. Since 2012 there is a big serious program for the development of the service sector, where trade positions are defined, but, unfortunately, it is a declaration, because there is no financing. These questions we will raise", - said Zhibek Azhibaeva.

In turn Nurzhan Altaev said that for the development of programs on behalf of the Prime Minister a working group was established. Presumably this spring the work on its project will be completed and submitted for consideration to the Government.