On August 29, a new Fruit and Vegetable Cold Storage and Logistics Center officially opened in the village of Tort-Gul in Kyrgyzstan’s southern Batken Region.
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the NGO Good Neighbors, both of which provided partial financing for the project, as well as by local government officials and residents.
According to KOICA’s Kyrgyzstan office, the facility was established through the joint efforts of the Republic of Korea, the Kyrgyz government, and local communities. The project received both financial and administrative support from the Kyrgyz side, with local self-government bodies covering approximately 42 percent of the construction costs.
The center was developed as part of the Integrated Rural Development Project, a joint initiative of KOICA and Good Neighbors that is currently being implemented in 30 villages across the Osh and Batken regions. With a storage capacity of up to 500 tons, the facility is equipped with modern refrigeration systems designed to reduce post-harvest losses, extend the shelf life of agricultural products, and ensure a more reliable supply of fruits and vegetables to both domestic and international markets.
The logistics center is managed by the Batken Berekelyuu Aimak cooperative, which has already begun commercial operations. The cooperative has signed a supply contract for dried apricots and plans to expand its distribution network in the near future.
The facility is expected to improve the livelihoods of farmers in Batken by creating additional income opportunities and strengthening access to larger markets.
