• KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00196 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09217 0.55%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28615 0.14%
08 February 2025

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 17

Potato Hunt: Astana Restricts Potato Sales Amid Price Surge

Supermarkets in Astana, including the Small and EuroSpar chains, have introduced a restriction on the sale of potatoes, limiting purchases to no more than 5 kilograms per customer. The Astana Akimat's Department of Investment and Entrepreneurship Development announced that the measure aims to prevent speculation. However, officials have not provided a timeline for when the restrictions might be lifted. A Sharp Spike in Prices The price of potatoes has surged sharply in Kazakhstan. According to the Bureau of National Statistics, this spike occurred within a single week, from January 14 to 21. The annualized price increase averaged 57.8% across the country, with some regions experiencing even steeper hikes. In Astana, the price of potatoes doubled - rising by 100% - with a kilogram costing between 400 and 500 KZT ($0.96). The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) attributes the price surge to speculation by unscrupulous middlemen. Deputy Minister Yerbol Taszhurekov clarified that the situation cannot be classified as “price collusion” but acknowledged significant price disparities between agricultural producers and retail outlets. “This is the result of speculative activity. After the New Year, many vegetable storages and warehouses remained closed, leading to a reduced supply in the market. Resellers and speculators exploited this temporary shortage to raise prices,” Taszhurekov explained. Tackling the Reseller Problem In response, local governments (akimats) began releasing potatoes from government stabilization funds at significantly reduced prices—between 115 and 130 KZT ($0.25) per kilogram. These measures were implemented to counter speculative practices and stabilize prices until the new harvest. The MOA reported that Kazakhstan currently has more than 62,000 tons of potatoes in reserve, excluding stocks in trade networks. These supplies are deemed sufficient to meet domestic demand until the next harvest. In Astana, this intervention helped bring down prices in retail chains like Small and EuroSpar to 280 KZT ($0.54) per kilogram. However, a new issue arose: small retailers began purchasing potatoes in bulk from these supermarkets to resell them at higher prices. To address this, supermarkets imposed a restriction on potato sales, limiting purchases to 5 kilograms per customer. “All necessary measures have been taken to ensure stable potato prices in Astana. There is no shortage in the city, and products are sufficiently stocked on retail shelves and in markets. Supplies are being replenished in a timely manner. However, to prevent bulk purchases by resellers for resale in small neighborhood stores, supermarkets in the Small and EuroSpar chains have implemented temporary purchase limits,” stated the Department of Investment and Entrepreneurship Development of Astana. Collaboration Between Retail Chains and Farmers The Ministry of Trade and Integration (MTI) also took steps to address the situation. Following discussions with representatives from major supermarket chains such as Magnum, Small, Anvar, and Dina, an agreement was reached for these retailers to directly purchase 1,500 tons of potatoes from farmers. The supermarkets will independently manage the transportation of these goods to ensure steady supply. “Akimats in the regions must present their specific needs, including the required volumes, so that retail chains can promptly meet...

Bishkek Authorities Plan to Relocate Railroad and Build Expressway

Bishkek City Hall has unveiled plans to relocate the railroad from the city center to the outskirts, replacing it with an expressway and residential developments with integrated shopping centers. While the initiative aims to modernize the capital's infrastructure, it has drawn criticism from experts in transportation and urban planning. Plans for Relocation Bishkek Mayor Aibek Junushaliev outlined the project during a parliamentary session, revealing that the new railroad route would be constructed near the northern bypass road. The Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has expressed readiness to finance the project, which is estimated to cost $550 million. In exchange, CRBC is seeking ownership of the land vacated by the current railroad. Alternatively, the city is also exploring the possibility of self-financing the project. “We've conducted the necessary studies. Relocating the railroad to the south of Bishkek would harm the environment, so we decided to move it to the north, outside the city,” Junushaliev explained. He added that the project would include the creation of a new transportation hub with a railroad and a modern railway station. CRBC recently presented several potential routes for the relocated railroad during a working meeting with city officials. Criticism from Experts Despite the ambitious nature of the proposal, the plan has been met with skepticism from some in Kyrgyzstan. Specialists in transport infrastructure argue that Bishkek’s traffic congestion issues would be better addressed by improving traffic regulation and constructing multi-level interchanges, rather than embarking on an expensive relocation project. Talant Sadakbayev, head of the Independent Engineering Association, emphasized the need for detailed planning and feasibility studies before proceeding. “Relocating the railroad will involve more than just moving the tracks—it will require rebuilding the entire railroad infrastructure, including stations, sidings, signal systems, and freight loading and unloading facilities. This is a complex and costly endeavor,” Sadakbayev told The Times of Central Asia. He added that Kyrgyzstan already has affordable access to reinforced concrete due to production quarries near Bishkek, suggesting that constructing an expressway over the existing railroad could be a more cost-effective solution. Challenges and Alternative Solutions Sadakbayev questioned whether the proposed expressway would deliver the anticipated benefits, stressing the importance of data-driven planning. “Authorities need to analyze cellular data to determine where people live and work, as well as how cargo and passenger traffic is organized. In some areas, solutions might involve widening streets, improving traffic signals, or simply changing road markings,” he said. Sadakbayev also noted that Bishkek’s road network problems are not being addressed comprehensively, leading to persistent traffic congestion. He criticized the lack of specialized expertise within city authorities, pointing to this as a barrier to effective urban planning. Future Developments In addition to the railroad relocation project, the mayor’s office is planning to build new traffic interchanges to alleviate congestion. CRBC is also expected to participate in these developments. According to Mayor Junushaliev, construction on three overpasses in different parts of Bishkek will commence in the near future. While the relocation of the railroad and the construction...

Kazakhstan Develops Program to Revive Famous Aport Apple Variety

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the National Agrarian Scientific and Educational Center have launched a program to revive the legendary Kazakh apple variety - aport. Aport is a capricious variety that requires special cultivation conditions. Quality apples can only be produced in orchards growing 850-1,250 meters above sea level. There are few such areas in the foothills of Almaty and the nearby region. Unlike other apple varieties, which begin to bear fruit in 4-6 years, aport needs 8-9 years to give a first harvest. Nevertheless, aport apples, distinguished by their large size, distinct smell, and succulent nature, are in great demand. The aport revival program, designed for 2024-2028, involves private investors and specialized nurseries. The program will grow the required number of saplings to begin the full-scale commercial cultivation of apple orchards. In the first stage, in 2024, the seeds of the Sievers apple tree were collected, and the development of national standards for growing Kazakhstan's aport began. In 2025, seedlings will be planted on ten hectares to become a mother garden supplying saplings for nurseries. During the next two years, it is planned to grow a sufficient number of saplings to plant an orchard on 100 hectares. Later, aport saplings will be offered to private gardeners for commercial cultivation. In 1970, there were 3.8 million aport trees in Kazakhstan, but by 1984, only 1.4 million remained. In 2012, scientific research began on the revival and rejuvenation of the variety, including establishing an experimental garden of aport grafted onto Sievers apple trees. In 2023, Kazakh scholars harvested the first large fruits weighing 400-500 g. Kazakhstan is the birthplace of apples — particularly the famous aport apples, which grow in the Almaty region. Translated from Kazakh, Almaty roughly means “place of abundance of apples.” One of Almaty's main landmarks, the first sight to greet visitors to Mount Kok-Tobe, which looms over the city, is a granite statue of an apple with water gushing from its core.

Kazakhstan Opens its Longest Bridge

The Kazakh government's press service has reported that on October 21, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov  attended the opening of Kazakhstan’s longest bridge. Spanning 1,316 meters across the Bukhtarma Reservoir, the new bridge which connects six districts of  Kazakhstan's eastern region, can accommodate up to 80,000 vehicles per day and reduce travelling time from hours to minutes. In his address at the launch, the president stressed that the bridge would allow for safe year-round traffic and accelerate the region's socio-economic development, stating: "For 50 years, residents of the region traveled [across the reservoir] either by ferry in the summer or directly on the ice in the winter and have been waiting for the bridge's construction for a long time." East Kazakhstan is a strategic region through which important transport corridors pass. The bridge across the Bukhtarma Reservoir will improve transport and logistics routes, ensure uninterrupted connections with bordering countries, and help unlock the region's tourism potential. The new bridge follows the opening of the country's longest automobile tunnel in September at the Shakpak Baba Pass in southern Turkestan.

New Road Promised for Kyrgyzstan’s Highest Village

The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan has announced a tender for the construction of a road to Kyrgyzstan's highest village of Zardaly in the Batken oblast. Authorities have set aside 389 million KGS ($4.5 million) for the construction of the 4.2 kilometer road and according to published data, bids will be accepted until October 22 this year. The village of Zardaly is located in the highlands on Kyrgyzstan's border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. At present, only one narrow, stony road leads to the settlement, accessible only between May to October. With the onset of cold weather, snow makes it impossible to get to the village, and residents are cut off from the outside world. It should be noted that Zardaly lacks cellular communication, the recently installed internet only serves the local school, and there are significant problems with electricity. As a local proverb says, “If there is no urgent business - do not enter Zardaly." On the day prior to the announcement of the tender, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov visited Zardaly by helicopter.  Whilst there, he promised residents that a highway would be built in the village in spring 2025, after which electricity would be supplied. He also instructed the presidential administration to solve the issue of cellular communications in the region. In earlier complaints about the situation in the village, Kyrgyzstan's ombudsman said that although Zardaly became a village in 2016, residents still require help accessing medical services and quality education.

Turkmenistan Sees Increase in Number of Bank Cards

As of September 1, over 5.8 million bank cards were registered in Turkmenistan, indicating a growing interest in cashless payments in the country. Since the beginning of 2024, the number of cards issued has increased by 4.7%, from 5.562 million in January to 5.823 million in September. There was a slight increase during August and September, with about 38,600 cards added, a 0.67% increase from the previous month. Looking at the trend of recent years, 5.177 million cards were issued in January 2023, an 8.5% increase from 4.771 million at the beginning of 2022. The main factor driving this growth is the availability of financial services, as more and more people can use banking products and transition to cashless payments. Government initiatives to digitalize the economy contribute to this process.