At an expanded government meeting chaired by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reported on ongoing efforts to develop the country's agribusiness sector, according to the government's press service.
Kazakhstan's $3B agribusiness push targets exports and rural jobs by 2025
"A key priority is expanding deep processing of agricultural products. For example, this year will see the launch of a major industrial park for corn processing in the Zhambyl region. This will enable Kazakhstan to enter the global market for threonine and glutamate. Additionally, the new plant will create guaranteed annual demand for 3 million tons of corn—while the entire country currently produces just 1 million tons. In other words, a single facility is reshaping the market and driving growth in specific agricultural sectors," Bektenov stated.
In 2025, six deep-processing enterprises for oilseeds, wool, meat, dairy, feed, and juice production will be completed. Another ten agribusiness plants are currently under construction.
To support these initiatives, the government offers special incentives, including investment subsidies of up to 50% for grain processing projects, as well as tax exemptions on equipment imports and core operations.
However, the sector still faces unresolved challenges that affect not only industry performance but also rural living standards. While large-scale investments and adherence to agronomic practices have boosted crop productivity, livestock farming lags significantly behind. Growth in this area remains at just 2–3%, failing to address self-sufficiency, processing development, or export expansion. Issues persist in veterinary services, scientific research, and workforce training for livestock production.
Meanwhile, some major landholders operate seasonally, leaving rural areas with rising unemployment in off-seasons. To counter this, land users with over 10,000 hectares are now required to engage in livestock farming—or risk losing their land rights.
In response, the government has developed a Comprehensive Livestock Development Plan, featuring measures such as subsidized loans for breeding stock, educational grants for herders' children, the adoption of advanced artificial insemination technologies, and support for transhumance (seasonal grazing) systems.
