Kazakh Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov recently met farmers in the Turkistan region and discussed improving the effectiveness of state support measures, introducing water-saving technologies and expanding agricultural processing.
He toured the Turkistan Cotton Agro-Industrial Complex, Kazakhstan’s first full-cycle cotton-textile cluster valued at $311.3 million.
Artificial intelligence-powered digital solutions have been introduced to manage production processes, monitor crop areas, track water use, soil moisture and crop conditions. The complex also features modern storage facilities for finished products.
The project is built around a deep, zero-waste processing model. Cotton fibre produced at the complex will be used to manufacture yarn and fabrics at a domestic facility, with part of the output meant for export to European and Chinese markets. By-products from cotton processing will be used to produce livestock feed.
Construction is under way on two cotton-processing plants with a combined annual capacity of 180,000 tonnes of raw cotton.
Farmers in Turkistan are benefiting from concessional financing programmes. Under the Ken Dala programme, 1,327 applications totaling 31.7 billion tenge (~$67.22 million) have been approved, while agreements have been signed for the supply of 625 units of agricultural machinery under the preferential leasing programme.
In 2026, cotton has been planted on 50,000 hectares using drip irrigation technology, helping improve water efficiency and increase yields amid changing climate conditions, according to a domestic news agency.
Saparov also visited the Datka farm in the Sauran district, where a project to cultivate domestic cotton varieties using drip irrigation is being implemented.
The 250-hectare project, backed by investments of 500 million tenge, has boosted cotton yields. The farm aims to increase yields further this year.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
