Jun 28, 2011

Kazakhstan's poultry output to hit 100,000 tonnes in 2011

Kazakhstan will achieve 100,000 tonnes of poultry output this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

In recent years, poultry production increased significantly in Kazakhstan. "Our poultry industry is thriving," said Eugene Aman, executive secretary of the Agriculture Ministry.

"Four years ago, there were 160,000 tonnes of consumption but domestic production was only 40,000 tonnes. In 2009, production volume reached 77,000 tonnes so we will definitely reach 100,000 tonnes either this year or next year," Aman added.

In 2010, Kazakhstan imported 109,000 tonnes of poultry meat, 92% of which were so-called "Bush legs". According to Aman, Kazakhstan plans to reduce the amount of imported poultry meat every year. "Over the past few years, a number of modern farm projects were established, and for the next five years, six more modern facilities will be built in the country. Over the next five years, about 75-80% of domestic consumption of poultry meat is going to come from our own production", Aman said.

Kazakhstan is currently ranked third among the CIS countries for the production of poultry meat, and authorities plan to use government subsidies to help the poultry industry to remain as leaders in the nearest future. "Targeted transfers from the central budget to subsidise the increase in productivity and quality of livestock products in the last years increased significantly. If the total volume was about KZT7.2 billion (US$4.9 million) last year, the volume of the current subsidies are expected to be higher by almost two times", said Ruslan Sharipov, president of the Union of Poultry Farmers of Kazakhstan.