August 4, 2011

Kazakhstan's target meat export by 2016 unfeasible  

It is difficult for Kazakhstan to export up to 60,000 tonnes of meat in five years' time, according to the Distinguished Innovator and Inventor of the USSR, academician, a veteran of the meat industry of Kazakhstan, Uzakov Yasin.

"It is impossible for Kazakhstan to export 60,000 tonnes of meat due to poor infrastructure. We do not have plants so there is no primary processing of the meat, special technologies, fridges and storages. There are no proper slaughter centres. All the meat is slaughtered artisanally and sent directly to the markets," said Yasin Uzakov.

Bloomberg also stated that similar opinion was expressed by the expert of the organisation of economic cooperation and development, Gregory Tallard. Moreover, he did not rule out a deficit of beef on the domestic market of Kazakhstan in 2020 due to the fact that the increase in beef production will fall behind the growth in domestic consumption.

Kazakhstan developed a ten-year programme of development of beef production. It is estimated at nearly KZT1 billion (US$6.8 million) and stipulates creation of 60 feedlots with 150,000 head of cattle. It also planned to create up to 2,500 farms with a total breeding stock of 300,000. As a result, beef production for export in five years should be 60,000 tonnes and 180,000 tonnes in 10 years.