Serik Zhumangarin met with peasant farms and entrepreneurs of the Abai region

On February 17-18 of this year, Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin visited the Abai region. Here the Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the work of peasant farms, trade and logistics and wholesale distribution centers, met and discussed topical issues with entrepreneurs.

The peasant farm «Krasny Partizan» is engaged in crop production, is a seed farm. In 2017, a grain drying complex for 300 tons per day with a one-time storage of 12 thousand tons was launched here. In 2021, these capacities were increased by 1 thousand tons of grain per day and storage volumes by another 12 thousand tons. The total area of pasture lands is 12 thousand hectares.

At a meeting with the founder of the farm Valery Lopatin, Serik Zhumangarin asked about further development plans.

«Is grain processing planned? For example, in Northern Kazakhstan, gluten and starch are obtained from grain, of course, these are investments of a different level, but there is independence from neighbors and a market has been established»,— he asked.

In every household – not without problems. The lack of pasture lands as the main barrier to development was noted on the farm of Peter Lazarev, «Lazarev & K» LLP, engaged in animal husbandry and crop production, and the lack of qualified personnel – in the farm "New Dawn". In 2014, the company commissioned a livestock complex with a milking parlor for 400 heads. As of today, 134 people work in Novaya Zarya, however, according to the company's management, the issue of human resources is very acute.

A wide range of directions is represented in the peasant economy «E. Zaitenov». The company is engaged in crop production, dairy farming, deep processing of products, grows sunflower, wheat, barley, corn for silage, perennial herbs. The total land area is 13.1 thousand hectares. Beef and milk processing is established here, various types of sausages and cheese are produced.

«What I saw today is very good. You need to expand. It is necessary to expand the cheese shop, deep processing of milk – cottage cheese, cheeses, especially hard varieties. On the fingers of one hand, you can count those who make cheese in Kazakhstan»,— Serik Zhumangarin stressed.

At the agricultural fair in the Transport and Logistics Center «Severny», the Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the range of products sold and prices.

The «Severny» Trade and Logistics Center opened in 2015 and has become a permanent venue for weekend fairs directly from producers of agricultural products in the region. Residents of Semey come here for fresh meat, dairy products and vegetables at affordable prices.

The Minister of Trade and Integration also visited the largest trade and logistics center «JOLAMAN». The center covers an area of 20 hectares, dry warehouses, vegetable storage, commercial premises, storage rooms equipped with modern ventilation and refrigeration equipment have been built here. The total capacity of the vegetable storage is 5,370 tons of fruit and vegetable products.

At the largest agricultural firm in the Abai region «Prirechnoye», located in the suburban village of the same name, potatoes are grown using Dutch technology, other vegetables, forage crops. 180 people work here.

Serik Zhumangarin also met with entrepreneurs and agricultural producers of the Abai region.

«During these two days I visited the enterprises of the East Kazakhstan and Abai regions, I see that a lot of work has been done. We are glad of your success and grateful for your work. The state's goal for the coming years in agriculture is to increase the production of basic foodstuffs until the needs of the domestic market are completely closed, and in the future – to export»,— Serik Zhumangarin said.

Entrepreneurs and agricultural producers asked the Minister a number of questions concerning forward financing, the operation of digital systems of the agro-industrial complex.

Entrepreneurs are concerned about the lack of meat processing and storage facilities (meat storage facilities), the issuance of loans and veterinary inspections of livestock.

Following the meeting and the visit as a whole, Serik Zhumangarin gave a number of instructions to the Ministry of Agriculture and JSC «Center for the Development of Trade Policy «QazTrade» to work out the issues raised by entrepreneurs of the region.