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Meat Exports

Kazakhstan Meat Exports Surge in 2025

Kazakh meat producers surpassed their total 2024 export figures within the first 10 months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2024, Kazakhstan boosted exports of processed beef by 1.4 times to more than 22,000 tons, and lamb by 2.2 times to 18,000 tons. These milestones were exceeded in 2025. Between January and October, beef exports rose 1.7 times year-on-year to reach 30,200 tons, while lamb exports increased 1.9 times to 25,500 tons. “This growth is due to high demand for high-quality Kazakh meat from foreign partners,” the ministry stated. In 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture implemented several measures aimed at expanding export markets and strengthening Kazakhstan’s presence in the global meat trade. Negotiations with seven countries resulted in the signing of 16 veterinary certificates. New export channels were opened for a range of products, including: Milk, beef, lamb, poultry, honey, and fish to Azerbaijan Live cattle to Mongolia Animal feed to Morocco Hides and wool of ungulates to Iran Additionally, the European Union opened its market to Kazakhstani beekeeping products. Efforts are also underway to expand exports to 12 more countries, including Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, the UAE, Jordan, and Pakistan. Discussions are ongoing with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Hong Kong regarding potential exports of dairy products, feed, and honey. The ministry highlighted veterinary welfare as a cornerstone of Kazakhstan’s export strategy. A nationwide modernization program is currently in progress: 400 new veterinary stations have been constructed and 890 units of specialized equipment and machinery procured. A key development is the opening of a modern veterinary laboratory in East Kazakhstan, supported by China. This facility will help unlock exports of livestock products, including cattle hides, poultry meat, and by-products, to the Chinese market. Required protocols have been signed, and Kazakh enterprises have already passed the necessary inspections. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is also preparing to enter the Turkish market, where Kazakh beef prices could be roughly double those in China.

Food Security

Kazakhstan to Host International Genetic Resources Bank

Kazakhstan will host an international genetic resources bank following unanimous approval from the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The initiative, spearheaded by the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), aims to preserve the biological diversity of agricultural crops and foster scientific collaboration among OIC countries. “One of the key initiatives we plan to implement in Kazakhstan is the creation of a Genetic Resources Bank, or an international genetic bank. Its goal is to preserve the biological diversity of agricultural crops,” said Berik Aryn, Director General of the IOFS, speaking at a roundtable in Astana marking OIC Food Security Day. According to Aryn, the government of Kazakhstan has already expressed its readiness to host the facility, and a project roadmap has been completed. The Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) has pledged approximately $2 million to finance the first phase. “We expect to begin practical implementation of the project next year and complete the creation of the bank by 2029,” Aryn said. He cited the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway as a comparable model but noted that the Kazakh bank would offer broader functionality. The project will eventually include a research center focused on crop breeding and the development of varieties resistant to climate change, drought, and other environmental stresses. “We want this gene bank to eventually become a full-fledged research center where scientists from OIC countries can work on creating new crop varieties that are resistant to climate change, drought, and other adverse factors, as well as on increasing yields,” Aryn added. The specific location is still under consideration, though the Almaty region is currently the most likely candidate due to its favorable climatic conditions. “Genetic material varies: some samples can be stored for decades, while others require regular updating and cultivation on site. In terms of climatic conditions, the Almaty region is the optimal region,” Aryn noted. In parallel with the gene bank initiative, IOFS is also advancing projects across Central Asia that promote the use of biochar to rehabilitate degraded soils. Biochar, a carbon-rich substance produced via pyrolysis of biomass, enhances soil fertility, improves water retention, and acts as a sorbent by absorbing harmful substances. “Biochar is a technology that is already widely used around the world, including in Arab and Asian countries. It is particularly relevant for Central Asia, as the region's soils are often salinated. Biochar is capable of absorbing salt and significantly improving soil structure, creating favorable conditions for agriculture for decades,” said IOFS Project Manager Bakytzhan Arystanbek. As previously reported by the Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan launched its first agroclimatic testing site for carbon technologies, Kaz Agro Carbon, in early November.

Investments

South Korean Firm Invests $12 Million in Kyrgyz Meat Processing Facility

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.

Agriculture

Uzbekistan to Import 300,000 Animals, Launch $367 Million in Livestock Projects

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has announced a sweeping expansion of the country’s livestock sector as part of broader agricultural reforms. Speaking on December 10 at a meeting with industry specialists to mark Agriculture Workers’ Day, the president outlined key initiatives aimed at boosting domestic production of meat and dairy products. According to the president’s press secretary, the government will import 100,000 head of cattle and 200,000 sheep and goats in 2026. Farmers working within cotton and grain clusters will be permitted to construct lightweight livestock facilities of up to 20 sotok (approximately 0.2 hectares) on their existing plots, a move designed to better integrate crop and livestock operations. Uzbekistan will also extend its subsidy program for imported breeding cattle and day-old chicks for an additional five years. To support the livestock sector’s growth, the government plans to allocate $157 million from funding provided by the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. These loans will be issued to farmers at an interest rate of 17% for a term of up to 10 years, including a three-year grace period. Additional financing will include $150 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and $60 million from the Asian Development Bank. Authorities say the efficient use of these resources could support the launch of 1,000 projects valued at 5 trillion UZS, including the establishment of 340 small livestock farms across 167 districts, modeled after a French framework. Last year, the European Union Delegation to Uzbekistan and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed agreements to support sustainable livestock development. The EU committed €4.7 million in grants for technical assistance and an additional €7.9 million to support Uzbekistan’s drinking water program, helping lay the groundwork for these agricultural reforms.

Irrigation

South Kazakhstan Braces for Irrigation Water Shortages in 2026

On December 4–5, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, accompanied by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov, visited the southern regions of Turkistan, Kyzylorda, and Zhambyl. The delegation met with local farmers to address the growing risks posed by declining transboundary water inflows and to discuss measures to ensure efficient water use during the 2026 irrigation season. Agriculture in these arid regions depends heavily on water from the Syr Darya River, which originates in Kyrgyzstan. According to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector consumed 11.01 billion cubic meters of water during the 2025 irrigation season, with 98% used in the south. The Zhambyl region irrigated 79,000 hectares using 1 billion m³ of water and remains largely reliant on upstream supplies from Kyrgyzstan. This past season, Kyrgyzstan committed to providing more than 600 million m³ of water to Kazakhstan via the transboundary Chu and Talas rivers. The Kyzylorda and Turkistan regions were the largest consumers of irrigation water, drawing 3.5 billion m³ and 3.4 billion m³, respectively, to irrigate 125,000 and 400,000 hectares. Officials presented water inflow forecasts for 2026 and outlined measures to improve efficiency amid declining water availability. The Syr Darya basin continues to experience low-flow conditions, with reduced inflows into the Naryn-Syr Darya system threatening irrigation supplies for the upcoming growing season. Farmers were urged to adopt water-saving technologies, limit the cultivation of water-intensive crops, diversify planting, and transition to drought-resistant varieties. Bozumbayev noted that during the recent session of the Interstate Water Coordination Commission in Ashgabat, participating countries projected a further decline in water inflows for 2026. He warned that the Toktogul Reservoir in Kyrgyzstan, located on the Naryn River, a key tributary of the Syr Darya, may reach record-low levels, putting irrigation supplies at serious risk. “Given the continued decline in available water resources, there is a real risk of shortages during the next growing season. This is a natural challenge faced by all Central Asian countries. To minimize the impact, we must accelerate crop diversification and the introduction of water-saving irrigation technologies. The state has created all the necessary conditions for this. This is not simply about conserving water; the country’s water and food security depend on it,” Bozumbayev said. To support adoption of efficient irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler technologies, the government has increased reimbursement for farmers' costs from 50% to 80%, on drilling wells and installing irrigation equipment. A differentiated irrigation tariff has also been introduced: for farmers using water-saving technologies, the subsidy on irrigation water has been raised from 60% to 85%. These measures have helped expand the area under modern irrigation systems from 312,200 hectares in 2023 to 580,000 hectares in 2025, representing 30% of all irrigated farmland. The government aims to increase this figure to 1.3 million hectares, or 70% of total irrigated land, by 2030. In Kyzylorda, the country’s main rice-producing region, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced that rice cultivation in 2026 must not...

Agriculture

Kazakhstan-China Agricultural Research Center to Open in Key Grain-Producing Region

A Kazakhstan-China Agricultural Research Center will be established in the North Kazakhstan region, one of the country's top three grain-producing areas. The initiative was announced by region's governor Gauez Nurmukhambetov following a business delegation’s visit to China. “Last week, a business delegation from our region visited the People’s Republic of China and held meetings with leading Chinese investors. As a result, seven strategic memoranda were signed, opening new economic opportunities for our region. These agreements include the construction of new factories and the creation of a Kazakh-Chinese agricultural research center,” Nurmukhambetov said at a press conference. The region continues to post record harvests. In 2025 it harvested 6.5 million tons of grain, nearly a quarter of Kazakhstan’s total gross harvest of 27.1 million tons. Nevertheless, the region is actively diversifying its agricultural profile. Sugar beet cultivation is expanding, with experimental plots from Asyl Farms showing strong crop adaptation. Based on this success, plans are underway to build a processing facility capable of handling 1 million tons of raw material annually, producing up to 200,000 tons of sugar. In the Kyzylzhar district, Salar Farm is building a plant for processing granulated alfalfa with an annual capacity of 60,000 tons. The main export markets include China and other Central Asian countries. The facility is scheduled to open in 2026. The region is also home to Maslo-Del, an oil extraction plant with an annual processing capacity of 370,000 tons of oilseeds and a production output of 120,000 tons, much of which is exported. Alongside its growth in crop production, the region is making notable progress in livestock farming. “SK Agro will construct the largest cattle farm in Central Asia, with a herd of 10,000 and a state-of-the-art Carousel milking system,” said Nurmukhambetov. “The farm is expected to increase milk production by 68 million tons annually. This will raise the share of milk produced by agricultural enterprises in Kazakhstan to 70%.” He noted that in Belarus, modern farms account for 77% of milk production, in China around 70%, and in European countries more than 93%. North Kazakhstan region aims to boost its share of the country’s total milk output to 20%. Meanwhile, 17 projects valued at $555.6 million are underway in the Qyzyljar special economic zone. Agricultural cooperation with China continues to grow. Kazakhstan views China as a key export destination for its processed agricultural products. In November, QazTrade signed a partnership agreement with Optimize Integration Group, one of China’s largest food importers, responsible for 18% of the country's frozen meat imports. In a related development, a joint Kazakh-Chinese veterinary laboratory was opened in East Kazakhstan region in October 2025. The facility is designed to streamline and accelerate export procedures for agricultural goods.