The regions of the country under the development programme for the export potential of beef cattle have actively formed a complete cycle for the processing of agricultural products with high-added value.
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, the country’s stock breeders today purchased more than 174,000 head of cattle. Over 477,000 animals are involved in the stock’s transformation process.
As a result of the efforts aimed at the development of beef cattle, over the past three years the proportion of cattle farms in the country increased from 12 to 22 percent. Since the beginning of the programme a number of export-oriented feedlots for 97,500 head of cattle have been built at the expense of KazAgro and private investments.
“These measures this year will increase the export of high-quality beef to 10 million tonnes,” said Minister of Agriculture Asylzhan Mamytbekov.
In accordance with the objectives for the development of beef cattle and creation of a food belt around Astana, the Akmola region is implementing a number of investment projects aimed at strengthening the agro-industrial potential of the region.
The Korgalzhyn district is one of 163 districts in the country which provides food security for the internal market and creates a range of export-oriented agriculture goods. The district’s products account for 80 percent of the regional GDP; about 40 farming partnerships and 145 farms which rent more than 4862 hectares of farmland are involved in agro-production.
In 2014, farmers in the district sowed a total of 98,796 hectares of crop areas, including grains (87,932 hectares), oilseeds (6,935 hectares), annual grasses (2,465 hectares) a potatoes and other kinds of vegetables (64,150 hectares). In other words, the efforts of farmers are mainly focused on the production of crops, in particular wheat and barley.
Another leading direction in the district is livestock and poultry breeding. In the first half of 2014 the farms engaged in these industries produced 1,800 tonnes of meat, more than 3,873 tonnes of milk and about 594,000 eggs. At the same time the volume of meat increased by 50 tonnes, milk, by 275 tonnes and eggs, by 44,000. The results of the stock breeders’ work over the past half-year are estimated at 1.15 billion tenge (US$6.3 million), which is almost 17 percent of the planned agricultural production of the district in the current year.
“The state support and stimulation of animal husbandry, especially under the programme Sybaga Agribusiness 2020, is a significant contribution to the achievements of the district. The subsidies in the size of 170 tenge (US$.93) per 1 kilogram of meat are a substantial assistance,” said Director of the Agroexport LTD Rakhim Akimzhanov.
In the past year 163 million tenge (US$887,328) was allotted from the state budget for the development of animal production, in addition to 552 million tenge (US$3 million) of preferential loans allocated under the programme Sybaga 2011-2013. Due to that farmers purchased 3,058 head of cattle, including 2,983 head of stud stock and 125 pedigree bulls.
In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture worked out an optimal mechanism to stimulate the development of remote pastures and create water points for animals. Investment subsidies are also provided for infrastructure development and pastures, including the purchase of wind and solar systems, water pumps and automated drinking cups.
The farmers in the district believe that these measures will largely accelerate the formation of the industry. And Bakarra, the powerful, high-tech meet processing plant which manufactures a wide range of products, including for export, provides the district’s meat branch with a full production cycle. In 2014, the export volume of this enterprise will reach 200 tons of meat and sausage products.
