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Agriculture

Escalation in the Middle East Threatens Kyrgyzstan’s Agricultural Export Potential

Escalating tensions in the Middle East are putting pressure on Kyrgyzstan’s export routes, a significant portion of which previously transited through Iranian territory. Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and on the Caspian Sea have provided Kyrgyz producers with access to markets in the Middle East and Europe. According to the National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan, cattle exports from Kyrgyzstan declined fivefold in 2024. In 2025, domestic meat prices rose sharply amid what authorities described as uncontrolled exports of cattle carcasses, primarily to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In response, the State Antimonopoly Service introduced maximum retail prices for lamb and beef in the domestic market and imposed a temporary ban on livestock exports to neighboring countries. To stabilize supply, the government approved meat imports from India for processing plants, while domestic production was intended to meet internal demand. Against this backdrop, many farmers shifted their focus to exporting chilled meat to Iran. In 2024, shipments resumed, beginning with an initial 10-ton consignment, after which volumes gradually increased. The Ministry of Agriculture announced plans to raise lamb exports to Iran to 1,000 tons. In addition to meat, Kyrgyz companies exported legumes, grains, and dried vegetables to Middle Eastern markets via Iranian ports. Honey, beans, and nuts were also shipped to Europe using Iranian transit routes. However, in the context of renewed military tensions, Kyrgyz exporters may now need to seek alternative logistics corridors or new destination markets. Any rerouting is likely to increase transportation costs and reduce the price competitiveness of Kyrgyz agricultural products. In 2023, the Eurasian Economic Commission signed a free trade agreement with Iran, which entered into force on May 15, 2024. The agreement provides for the creation of “green customs corridors,” the digitalization of trade procedures, and the introduction of electronic transit mechanisms. According to EEC Minister for Trade Andrey Slepnev, the deal was intended to facilitate accelerated access to the Iranian market for companies from the Eurasian Economic Union. Under the agreement, goods from EAEU member states benefit from tariff preferences, including zero or reduced import duties in Iran. Iranian products receive comparable preferences within the EAEU market. Last year, Tehran also proposed that Bishkek consider establishing its own merchant fleet, using Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea to export Kyrgyz agricultural products and expand transit opportunities.

Agriculture

Farmers, Courts, and Investors: Examining Recent Land Disputes in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector is once again in the spotlight following a recent report by Human Rights Watch and the Uzbek Forum for Human Rights, which raised concerns about the treatment of cotton and wheat farmers under what it describes as a coercive state production system. At the same time, local agricultural representatives argue that the situation is more complex and that recent legal and institutional changes have improved farmers’ ability to defend their rights. The debate intensified earlier this year after complaints from farmers in parts of the Syrdarya region, particularly in the Xovos district, regarding land seizures linked to failure to meet so-called “normative yield” requirements. Komoliddin Ikromov, head of the Agrobiznes Association, has been among the most vocal local figures commenting on these developments. State Plan Abolished, but Normative Yields Remain According to Ikromov, it is important to distinguish between the former state production plan and the current regulatory framework. “There is no state plan now,” he said. “The state order was abolished in 2020. What exists today is the concept of rational land use. If a farm’s yield falls below the normative level for three consecutive years, then the land may be withdrawn, but only through a court decision.” While cotton state procurement was abolished beginning with the 2020 harvest, reforms affecting wheat and grain procurement were phased in and linked to the 2021 harvest. Ikromov referred to Article 36 of the Land Code, which sets out the procedure for termination of land-use rights where land is used irrationally or in violation of law. Detailed criteria — such as persistent underperformance relative to normative yield levels — are established in related regulatory acts rather than in the Land Code text itself. “Under current legislation, the khokim (local governor) cannot independently seize land,” Ikromov said. “The case must be submitted to the court. Only a court can decide.” Ikromov cited reforms adopted beginning in 2022 and subsequently strengthened by presidential measures in 2024, which expanded electronic auction procedures and curtailed direct administrative land allocation. Complaints from Farmers Beginning in January, the Agrobiznes Association started receiving complaints from farmers, mainly in Syrdarya. “I personally received about 50 to 60 appeals,” Ikromov said. “In total, there were more than 100 messages, mostly through Telegram.” According to him, many complaints concerned pressure to voluntarily surrender land leases through notarized statements. Farmers alleged that they were being encouraged or pressured to go to a notary and sign documents relinquishing their land. “These were not isolated cases,” he said. “In some districts, it was widespread. But after the issue was raised publicly, the process shifted. Now cases are going through courts.” Ikromov noted that unusual weather conditions contributed to the problem. Heatwaves and water shortages in 2024 made it difficult for some farmers to meet normative yield levels. In areas like Xovos, where soil fertility is relatively low, he said, agricultural production is already more challenging. Legal Process and Court Outcomes Following public attention, including Ikromov’s interview with the Uzbek outlet Kun.uz, land disputes increasingly...

Agriculture

Kazakhstan Doubles Honey Exports in 2025

Kazakhstan’s beekeepers nearly doubled their honey exports in 2025, with neighboring Uzbekistan emerging as the primary destination, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Official data show that Kazakhstan exported 1,477 tons of honey in 2025, compared to 603 tons in 2024. The majority of shipments, 1,264 tons, or 85.6% of total exports, were delivered to Uzbekistan. Kazakh honey was also exported to Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States. A trial shipment was sent to Oman for the first time. Amid rising exports, imports declined sharply. In 2025, honey imports totaled 262.4 tons, down from 1,663 tons in 2024. The Ministry of Agriculture attributes this decrease to increased domestic production and the strengthening position of local producers. Kazakhstan produces approximately 5,000 tons of honey annually. Nearly half of this volume, 2,300 tons, comes from private subsidiary farms, while 2,700 tons are produced by large enterprises. Beekeeping is most developed in the East Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Almaty, and Turkestan regions, as well as in the Abai and Zhetisu regions. These regions account for around 241,000 bee colonies, more than 90,000 of which have breeding status. State support measures include production subsidies. The Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes that the sector’s development is being pursued systematically. In 2024, a roadmap for the industry’s development for 2025-2027 was approved, and amendments to the laws “On Beekeeping” and “On Breeding Livestock” were drafted. In April 2025, the proposed amendments were submitted to parliament. According to the ministry, the legislative changes are intended to increase transparency in the sector, strengthen breeding programs, and enhance the competitiveness of Kazakh honey in foreign markets, thereby creating a foundation for further export growth and rural development. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the Hungarian company Aranynektár Kft announced in 2024 plans to build a honey processing plant in Kazakhstan to facilitate exports to European Union countries.

Agro Techno-Park

Kazakhstan’s First Agro Techno-Park Opens in Astana

Kazakhstan’s first agro techno-park has begun operations in Astana, creating a new infrastructure platform for the development and implementation of high-tech solutions in the agro-industrial complex (AIC). The project was launched at Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University and is aimed at supporting innovation in the Akmola region, one of the country’s key grain-producing areas. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the agro techno-park will serve as a hub for business incubation, startup support, and the piloting of modern agricultural technologies, with their subsequent introduction into Kazakhstan’s agribusiness sector. The agro techno-park covers approximately 1,000 square meters. Its facilities include a production and engineering unit with a metalworking workshop for experimental and pilot projects, office space for resident companies, and a full-cycle laboratory complex. The site also houses the Kazakh-Australian Innovation Center for Molecular and Genetic Research on Agricultural Crops, as well as laboratories dedicated to agro-biotechnology and microbiology, physical and chemical analysis, and analytical research. “Today, it is extremely important that scientific solutions do not remain within the walls of laboratories but reach agricultural producers and deliver tangible economic results. The agro techno-park should become a link between scientists and agribusiness,” Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov said during his visit to the new facility. University Rector Kanat Tireuov said the agro techno-park lays the foundation for a new culture of technological entrepreneurship in the agro-industrial sector, supports the training of a new generation of specialists, and helps attract investment into applied scientific research. Its activities are expected to accelerate the market introduction of new crop varieties and hybrids, biological products, and engineering solutions, increase the sustainability of agricultural production, and strengthen the sector’s export potential. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan significantly increased its exports of processed, high-tech agricultural products last year.

Agriculture

Kazakhstan Increases Export Revenues from Processed Agricultural Products by One-Third

Kazakhstan significantly increased exports of high value-added agro-industrial products in 2025. Revenue from exports of processed agricultural goods rose by nearly one-third compared to the previous year, according to Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov. By the end of 2025, food production reached $8.1 billion, an 8.1% increase year-on-year. Exports of processed agricultural products totaled $3.2 billion for the first 11 months of 2025, marking a 33.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024. By contrast, total exports of high value-added products in 2024 stood at $2.7 billion, with annual growth not exceeding 15%. The share of processed goods in total agro-industrial exports reached 52% in 2025. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, this reflects a systematic policy aimed at diversifying agricultural exports and shifting toward products with greater added value. The expansion of processing capacity has also increased the sector’s investment appeal. Investments in fixed capital in agriculture doubled, reaching $791.5 million. The structure of exports is also evolving. Previously, Kazakhstan exported raw lentils and imported processed groats at higher prices. Today, domestic processing and packaging facilities enable the country to fully supply the domestic market and export finished products. Kazakhstan ranks sixth globally in lentil exports and retains further growth potential. The oilseed segment has become one of the key drivers of profitability in crop production. In 2025, the oilseed harvest reached 4.9 million tons, up 48% year-on-year. Sunflower oil exports increased to 600,000 tons, placing Kazakhstan eighth globally in export volumes. To support this trend, four major projects were launched in 2024-2025 to expand and modernize oil processing plants. The projects have a combined capacity of approximately 1 million tons and a total investment value of $117 million. A lecithin production line, supplying the food and cosmetics industries, has been launched in the East Kazakhstan region. A similar facility is planned in the North Kazakhstan region. Deep grain processing is also developing. Three enterprises with a combined capacity exceeding 500,000 tons are already operating, producing gluten, bioethanol and starch products. Six additional investment projects worth $3.8 billion are scheduled for implementation over the next three years. These projects involve the production of amino acids, including glutamate, threonine, leucine and lysine, and will be located in the Turkestan, Zhambyl, Akmola and Kostanay regions, as well as in Astana. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan has set a strategic objective for the agricultural sector to become one of the world’s three largest exporters of sunflower oil and to increase total exports of oil and fat products to $1 billion by 2028.

Water-Saving Technologies

Kyrgyzstan Plans Full Transition to Water-Saving Irrigation in Issyk-Kul Region

Kyrgyzstan’s government is preparing to fully transition the Issyk-Kul region to water-saving irrigation technologies, offering farmers preferential financing amid growing concerns over falling water levels in the country’s largest lake and key tourist destination. Speaking in parliament on February 11, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry Bakyt Torobaev announced that farmers adopting drip or sprinkler irrigation systems will be eligible for low-interest loans at a preferential 2% rate. Lending is expected to begin next month. Torobaev emphasized the urgency of reducing agricultural water consumption to stabilize inflows into Lake Issyk-Kul. “If we switch to drip irrigation, more water will flow into Issyk-Kul. If we use all the water for agriculture, none of it may reach the lake. Therefore, our goal is to fully transition the Issyk-Kul region to drip and sprinkler irrigation,” he told lawmakers. Environmental pressure on the Issyk-Kul basin has intensified due to climate change and accelerated glacier retreat. The basin contains 957 glaciers, covering about 560.8 square kilometers, many of which are shrinking rapidly. Although around 120 rivers feed the lake, only about 80 reach it during the summer months due to irrigation withdrawals. Between 1927 and 2003, the lake’s level dropped by 2.75 meters, an effect largely attributed to inefficient water use. Policy support for conservation has recently been formalized. In December 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Concept for the Sustainable Development of the Ecological and Economic System of Lake Issyk-Kul through 2030, alongside a detailed action plan prioritizing the adoption of water-saving agricultural technologies. Under current plans, modern irrigation systems will be installed on 100,000 hectares of farmland across the Issyk-Kul region, potentially redirecting up to 200 million cubic meters of water back into the lake annually. Nationwide, adoption of water-efficient irrigation remains limited but is accelerating. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, modern irrigation technologies currently cover around 16,000 hectares. The authorities aim to expand that area by 30,000-40,000 hectares each year, targeting 200,000 hectares under water-saving irrigation by 2030. State-funded installations are also increasing. In 2026, drip and sprinkler systems are scheduled to be deployed on 5,270 hectares. Between 2024 and 2025, such systems were installed on 2,369 hectares, 641 hectares with drip irrigation, and 1,728 hectares with sprinkler systems. Kyrgyzstan currently has approximately 1 million hectares of irrigated agricultural land overall.