A major South Korean investment is set to strengthen Kyrgyzstan’s agricultural sector with the launch of a $12 million agro-industrial complex. A groundbreaking ceremony held on December 10 in the village of Baytik, Chui region, marked the start of construction on the project, a joint venture between the state-owned Kyrgyz Agroholding JSC and South Korea’s DOD Company.
According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, the facility will feature the country’s first shock-freezing unit capable of blast-freezing meat to -35°C. This technology helps preserve the natural structure of the meat, minimizes moisture and weight loss, and extends shelf life without additives, meeting export standards required by high-end markets such as South Korea and Japan.
The project will also include a feedlot for 5,000 head of cattle, ensuring a reliable and consistent supply chain for the processing plant.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Bakyt Torobaev said the investment reflects strong trust from Korean partners and represents a major step in integrating Kyrgyz meat production into global value chains.
Torobaev noted that Kyrgyz Agroholding, established to develop agro-industrial clusters and boost exports, plans to launch a pilot “Meat Cluster” project in 2026 in the Chui-Bishkek economic zone. Ten cluster associations will receive financing at 3% interest to purchase livestock, feed, cold-chain storage systems, packaging equipment, refrigerated trucks, and working capital.
He also highlighted that, for the first time since independence, the Kyrgyz Armed Forces are now fully supplied with domestically produced food, an indicator of the growing capacity and resilience of the national agricultural sector.
