Kazakhstan to expand sugar beet cultivation areas to 60 thou ha

TARAZ. KAZINFORM - Vice Minister of Agriculture Abylkhaiyr Tamabek held meetings with farmers of Zhambyl region in Marke, Zhambyl, Baizak, and Talas districts, Kazinform cites the press service of the Agriculture Ministry.

Zhambyl region is one of the country's leaders in sugar beet production. There are a number of sugar beet processing plants in the region.

During the meetings, the vice minister heard a report on the pressing issues and proposals of the local producers of sugar beet.

According to Zhambyl region's administration office, the area of sugar beet cultivation has risen to 6.1 thou ha in 2022 from 5.6 thou ha in 2021 in the region. Last year, 16.33 thou tons of sugar beet, yielding 310.9 c/ha, were made in the region. Sugar beet output stood at about 171.0 thou tons in Zhambyl region in 2017 and 2021.

The Kazakh Agriculture Ministry is working on a plan to modernize the sugar industry. It provides for a greater resource base by expanding sugar beet cultivation areas to 60 thou ha, enhancement of state measures to regulate and support the sugar industry, and so on.

Earlier it was reported that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had reprimanded the trade and integration and agriculture ministers at the expanded meeting of the Government. According to the Head of State, four of the seven sugar plants previously opened are operational.