In 2024, Kazakhstan faced a paradoxical situation: despite a record harvest of sugar beets (1.3 million tons) and an increase in planted areas to 25,2 thousand hectares, processing enterprises were unable to cope with the volume of production. Due to high debt burdens, the factories could not expand their capacities as outlined in the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Sugar Industry until 2026. As a result, part of the harvest, especially from the Zhambyl province, had to be sent for processing to the Aksu plant and to Kyrgyzstan.

As a result, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan was forced to reduce the projected planting area for sugar beets in 2025 to 18,4 thousand hectares, while in Kyrgyzstan, it is planned to plant sugar beets on 16 thousand hectares this year, which is 1 thousand hectares more than in 2024.

Kyrgyzstan helps process Kazakhstan's harvest

Kyrgyzstan, on the other hand, demonstrates steady growth in sugar beet production and successfully processes its entire harvest. In 2024, the country produced a record 120,000 tons of beet sugar. This achievement was made possible by the effective support of the sector from the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, which creates conditions for increasing the capacity of enterprises. The measures implemented by the Ministry enable local plants to confidently accept raw materials beyond domestic demand and fulfill commitments to partners on time.

Moreover, Kyrgyz enterprises are not only capable of meeting domestic demand but also assisting neighboring Kazakhstan. Under an agreement between the Merken Sugar Plant (Kazakhstan) and the "Kaindy-Kant" company (Kyrgyzstan), the "Koshoy" plant processed Kazakhstani sugar beets delivered in 294 wagons from January to February 2025. The entire volume of processed products was promptly returned to Kazakhstan.

Kyrgyz enterprises are ready for new challenges

Kyrgyzstan's processing industry is represented by powerful enterprises — OJSC "Kaindy-Kant" and OJSC "Koshoy". Their combined capacity of 3.8 thousand tons of raw materials per day ensures stable processing of the entire domestic sugar beet harvest, as well as a portion of the yield from neighboring countries. Thus, Kyrgyzstan is ready to expand production and strengthen its position in the Central Asian sugar industry.