In the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan, a farm situated in Kasymbek Datka village is marking its second banana harvest within the year. The village, with a population of about 4,000, gained attention after GenGroup Qazaqstan's $3.7 million investment to establish a banana farm. This agricultural venture, 25 kilometers from Shymkent, extends over five hectares and employs 15 locals.
The farm is set to produce between 400 to 500 tons of bananas by the end of the year, following a first harvest in March that yielded 385 tons. "Currently, we are supplying bananas only to Almaty and Shymkent, covering just 5% of demand in these cities. Ecuador remains Kazakhstan's main supplier of bananas. However, due to logistics costs, their bananas are 100 tenge ($0.20) more expensive per kilogram than ours. We sell bananas for 600 to 650 tenge ($1.14 to $1.23) per kilogram," Islam Aliyev, managing director of GenGroup Qazaqstan's banana plantation, stated.
The farm utilizes cultivation techniques from Turkish agricultural experts, mirroring successful banana plantations in Alanya. After soil and water analyses indicated a nutrient deficiency, the decision was made to enrich the soil with humus, using 400 Kamaz trucks for the purpose. Turkish and Azerbaijani contractors designed the project, which now continues under the guidance of Turkish specialist Bayik Davut. Davut emphasizes the importance of maintaining temperatures above 15°C and humidity above 80% for banana cultivation.
The greenhouse employs a diverse team including agricultural scientists, engineers, and various operational staff, under the leadership of Islam Aliyev, who is multilingual in Kazakh, Russian, and Turkish. The project, still in its first phase, plans to expand over the next three years with the addition of three more greenhouses. This expansion aims to diversify production to include not only bananas but also mangoes, avocados, blueberries, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covering 15 hectares. With a projected investment of $19 million, GenGroup Qazaqstan anticipates recouping its initial outlay within five years.
Source: Kursive