Kazakhstan Moves Toward Full Self-Sufficiency in Milk and Poultry

Kazakhstan has minimized its domestic market’s dependence on imports of dairy and fermented milk products. This was announced by Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov during the Government’s year-end press conferences. According to the ministry, shelves across the country are now confidently occupied by products from local producers.

 

Recent years’ dynamics demonstrate a steady increase in processing volumes. In 2020, processed milk output amounted to 620 thousand tonnes, while by the end of 2024 this figure reached 632 thousand tonnes. A similar trend is observed in the fermented dairy segment, where production increased from 227 thousand to 238 thousand tonnes.

 

The key driver of the sector, according to the minister, is the scaling of the successful experience of the North Kazakhstan Region. The model for building modern dairy farms, which has been tested in this region, is now being replicated nationwide to maintain growth momentum.

 

Even more impressive results are being shown by the poultry sector. Over the past five years, the industry has made a qualitative leap: poultry meat production increased by more than 50%, rising from 236.5 thousand tonnes to 360 thousand tonnes.

 

Analyzing consumer behavior, Aidarbek Saparov emphasized a shift in preferences among Kazakhstanis. According to the minister, the market has been successfully reoriented: consumers have become accustomed to high-quality domestically produced chilled meat, giving it priority over frozen imported products.

 

The Ministry of Agriculture has set an ambitious goal of achieving full import substitution in this segment. The minister announced plans to commission five new poultry farms by 2027. The implementation of these investment projects is expected to bring an additional 240 thousand tonnes of products to the market, enabling Kazakhstan to fully meet domestic demand for poultry meat using its own resources.