Serik Zhumangarin met with producers of cotton and greenhouse vegetables of Turkestan region

The other day, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin met with producers of cotton and greenhouse vegetables of Maktaaral district of Turkestan region.

The Turkestan region is the only one in Kazakhstan where cotton is grown, and where the largest number of greenhouses are located — 67% of the republic's greenhouses with a total area of 844 hectares.

More than 300 thousand tons of cotton are produced annually in the region, 22 cotton processing plants operate, and 25 thousand peasants are employed in production.

Today there are only two enterprises of deep processing of cotton in the country, both are located in the Turkestan region, but their capacities allow processing only 15% of the raw material produced in the region. And since the cost of its sale directly depends on the prices of cotton fiber on the world market, with the overproduction of cotton products in the world, its selling price sharply decreases. And this problem is getting worse every year. The solution to the situation is intended to be the intensive introduction of deep processing.

Serik Zhumangarin was presented with projects of industrial development of the region. In the near future, it is planned to open 12 textile garment factories in Maktaaralsky, Ordabasinsky, Sauransky, Shardarinsky and Zhetysai districts.

As a result, the volume of deep processing of cotton fiber will be increased from 17 thousand to 66 thousand tons. Within 5 years, a cotton-textile complex will be created in Maktaaralsky district, including the construction of a cotton processing plant, a logistics hub, knitwear production facilities, a dyeing and finishing and sewing factories. In the same area of the region next year it is planned to put into operation a plant for the production of cotton thread and yarn. And already this year, on the basis of the industrial zone "Turkistan", it is planned to launch an enterprise for the production of hosiery and costumes.

«The Government will support the development of the light and textile industries, we need to develop this area as much as possible and enter the international market. We have repeatedly heard complaints from manufacturers that the subsidy payment system is constantly changing, there is no stability, it is difficult to plan. I think that the previous payment mechanisms for transferable applications should be left. It is necessary to discuss concessional lending. I instruct the Ministry of Agriculture to work out all the issues raised», — Serik Zhumangarin said.

As a result, it was decided to leave the mechanism of payment of subsidies for transferable applications, as well as to additionally include the mechanism of a tripartite agreement, when subsidies for the purchase of fertilizers can be received directly by the agricultural producer.

On the same day, Serik Zhumangarin met with the greenhouses of the region. Here, as in the Saryagash district, they complain about the lack of coal for production. Serik Zhumangarin informed that today the Ministry of Industry is working with key coal mining enterprises of the country on the possibility of concluding contracts for the supply of coal directly from coal mines. The possibilities of early purchase of coal through the exchange and its storage are also being worked out.