The agricultural sector will have to be brought to a new level, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym Zhomart Tokaev, said in his annual address to the people of Kazakhstan on 8 September 2025, the correspondent of the Business Information Centre of Kapital.kz reports.
Beeld: © Amina Kussainova
Government support and investment in agriculture
"In recent years the government has been implementing systematic reforms and allocating significant funds to ensure a qualitative breakthrough in the industry. This year, a record 1 trillion tenge has been allocated to support farmers. The necessary loans have been issued in a timely manner. There has never been such an unprecedented amount of financing in our country before," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev states.
But the measures taken so far are clearly not enough to fully realise the significant capabilities of the domestic agro-industrial complex, he believes. "The issue is not the amount of resources allocated, but their effective use. The government should have a specific plan for the transition to a progressive agroeconomy," the president noted.
Development of agricultural projects and technologies
Currently, a number of large projects on deep processing of agricultural products are being implemented with the participation of Kazakhstani and foreign investors, he added.
"The total investments exceed two billion dollar. Over three thousand jobs will be created. The products are aimed at export to various countries. Such projects need to be scaled up. In each region, taking into account its specifics, it is important to form end-to-end chains from the manufacturer to the counter," the head of state emphasised.
In many regions, there are vertically integrated agricultural enterprises that are well known to people, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev notes. "These enterprises are characterised by the widespread use of digital technologies to improve production efficiency. The success of leading agricultural producers is also due to the establishment of a full production cycle from the cultivation of agricultural products to its deep processing. Therefore, it is necessary to create systematic conditions for the dissemination of the experience of such agricultural holdings," the president is convinced.
Illustrative
Strategic priorities and export development
The key focus now should be on the development of agricultural hubs and logistics centres, as well as on establishing strategic partnerships with foreign investors, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
"However, in order to build productive investment cooperation, domestic entrepreneurs need to know and understand current business trends, and use the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence, in their activities," the head of state believes.
Illustrative
The ministry should also develop a plan to support agribusiness in the livestock sector and launch effective financing mechanisms, the president said. The goal is not only to fully supply meat to the domestic market, but also to strengthen export potential, he added.
The government's strategic objective is to minimise the dependence of the national food market on imports, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasises. "Of course, one hundred per cent self-sufficiency is impossible, and probably not necessary, but what is happening now in our market is a shameful situation," he states.
Export strategy and fair trade protection
In addition, traditional national products should be actively promoted to foreign markets, the head of state said.
"Therefore, we need a specific plan for agricultural exports, taking into account logistics, veterinary and phytosanitary standards, as well as a competent marketing strategy. This is the task of not just one Ministry of Agriculture, but a number of government agencies, so coordination is needed at the government leadership level," the president concludes.
The government must reasonably insist on fair conditions in the development of Eurasian trade, and deputies must protect the rights of domestic producers through legislative initiatives, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes.
"It turned out that our entrepreneurs do not receive the necessary amount of government support in comparison with enterprises from other Eurasian Economic Union countries, therefore they are at a disadvantage and are forced to yield even their market to competitors. In particular, we are talking about milk producers," the head of state said.
Administrative reforms and investment initiatives
Earlier it was reported that the president spoke about artificially inflated social benefits. Kazakhstan is unifying the amount of social benefits for vulnerable categories in all regions.
A unified digital map of land resources will be developed in Kazakhstan. The mechanism for providing agricultural land to farmers is planned to be radically changed.
Kazakhstan will update its investment attraction system. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasised that all organisational work on attracting investments is entirely the responsibility of the Prime Minister.
Businesses continue to make the most stringent administrative decisions. The creation of the Register of Mandatory Requirements needs to be accelerated, the head of state said.
Conclusion
Beeld: © @Amina Kussainova
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Kassym Zhomart Tokaev
President Tokayev calls for a focused and efficient approach to modernize Kazakhstan’s agriculture. With strong investments, technology, and better export strategies, the country aims to boost productivity, support farmers, and reduce import dependence for a more sustainable future.
Source: Anel Kurmanova for Kapital (Kazakhstan) (in Russian)