ALMATY (TCA) — Production of paper from technical (non-narcotic) hemp within the framework of import substitution policies was discussed last week at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Manufacturing Industry Committee of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan.
“Today, the import of office paper amounts to approximately 100 million US dollars. Meanwhile, the proper usage of raw materials could enable production of paper in Kazakhstan, thereby increasing revenues, reducing unemployment, and reducing the dependence on imports,” said Batyrbek Aubakirov, Deputy Secretary of the Committee, the Chamber reported on its website.
Maxim Skrynnik, CEO of Kagaz (Paper) Shahary SEZ, said that today Kazakhstan purchases office paper in Russia and Finland, spending more than 30 billion tenge a year. “Our goal is to create conditions for the construction of a plant for a full-cycle production of paper and to completely abandon the dependence on raw materials,” he said.
According to Skrynnik, in search for raw materials they have conducted studies that have shown that technical hemp can be used to produce not only unique cellulose for the full range of paper materials (from banknotes to packaging and office paper) but also very good textile and food products.
Skrynnik said that many foreign investors are ready to cooperate with Kazakhstan in this direction. “We already have agreements with partners who are willing and are ready to come to our market and to deliver a range of modern facilities, as well as to revive the textile enterprises which experience difficulties in Kazakhstan,” he said.
Bakhyt Ilyasov, Deputy Director of the Department for Production and Processing of Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, said his department has nothing against the cultivation of industrial hemp. “This crop has great potential. In Soviet times it was cultivated in our country, but then for obvious reasons its production has been reduced to zero. The Ministry of Agriculture clearly supports the production of industrial hemp,” he said.
