Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in Kazakhstan’s economy, significantly impacting employment, production, and regional economic development.
This article presents the key indicators and development dynamics of SMEs based on data published by the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of April 1, 2024.
Key Indicators
As of April 1, 2024, there were 2,187.2 thousand registered SME entities in Kazakhstan, an increase of 2.7% compared to the same period last year. Of these, 2,017.4 thousand entities are active, a 4% increase compared to the previous year. The number of people employed in SMEs reached 4,239 thousand, indicating a growth of 2.1%. The output of SME entities for the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 16,761.4 billion tenge, an increase of 22% compared to the same period in 2023.
Organizational and Legal Forms of SMEs
The largest number of SME entities are individual entrepreneurs (68.6%), followed by small business legal entities (18.3%) and peasant or farmer households (13%). Medium business legal entities account for only 0.1% of the total registered entities.
Individual entrepreneurs lead not only in the number of registered entities (1.5 million) but also in the number of active entities (1.4 million). Additionally, small enterprises employ the largest number of people (1.7 million), while individual entrepreneurs employ 1.8 million people.
Contribution of SMEs to the National Economy
The share of SMEs in GDP for January-March, 2024 was 37.7%, an increase of 1 percentage point compared to the same period in 2023. Among the regions, the largest contributions to GDP were made by the cities of Almaty (55.2%) and Astana (78.3%).
Regional Dynamics
The highest share of active SME entities is observed in Turkestan (97.9%), Ulytau (95.3%), and Kostanay (95.2%) regions. Meanwhile, the lowest share is recorded in Almaty (89.6%).
Economic Activities
The largest number of SME entities are registered in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (781,086 units), as well as in agriculture, forestry, and fishing (312,297 units). Significant contributions to production output are also made by enterprises in the manufacturing industry and construction.
Conclusion
Small and medium enterprises continue to be an important segment of Kazakhstan’s economy, demonstrating steady growth and significant impact on the country’s economic development. The increase in the number of registered and active SME entities, the rise in employment, and the growth in production output indicate positive trends and potential for further development of this sector.
To further strengthen the position of SMEs in the economy, it is necessary to continue supporting entrepreneurs through various government programs, improve business conditions, and stimulate innovation in various economic sectors.
