ASTANA (TCA) — Entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan are interested in growing fruit orchards in southern Kazakhstan, Novosti-Kazakhstan news agency reported citing Nurzhan Altayev, deputy chairman of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan.
Altayev told journalists on January 20 that a large Uzbek company engaged in Uzbek fruit and vegetables export is considering growing orchards in southern Kazakhstan for further fruit export abroad. They consider four provinces of Kazakhstan: South-Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Almaty, and Kyzylorda.
In Altayev’s words, the Uzbek entrepreneurs said Kazakhstan now has an ideal investment climate and it is more profitable to do business here than in Uzbekistan.
In the meantime, on January 13 the Agriculture Ministry of Russia hosted a meeting with representatives of state corporations of Uzbekistan to discuss an increase in Uzbek agricultural exports to Russia, the ministry said on its website.
The Uzbek side said Uzbekistan is able to significantly increase exports to Russia and fully meet the Russian market’s need for fruit, vegetables, and canned food. Uzbekistan is also ready to increase the export of Uzbek wine and grapes to Russia.
The sides agreed to consider establishing a Russian-Uzbek working group for agriculture.
Speaking at the Uzbek Government meeting on January 15, Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov said that his country will until 2020 reduce the area under cotton to make some 170 thousand hectares of irrigated farmland available for growing vegetables, potato, fodder and oil-bearing crops, as well as for planting orchards and vineyards. The president said implementation of the plan will help increase the export of agricultural products.
