The Bureau of National Statistics has published disheartening data regarding Kazakhstan’s poultry farming. According to the data, the domestic industry in this sector has been unable to achieve the high-performance levels that were observed during the 1990s.

As reported by Inbusiness.kz (https://inbusiness.kz/kz/news/kazakstanda-kus-fabrikalary-zhappaj-zhabylyp-zhatyr), in 1990, when Kazakhstan gained independence, the country counted 59.9 million heads of domestic poultry. This figure remained approximately at the same level for several years. However, the number of chickens has decreased over the past few years.

Despite the end of the first decade of the new century, the decline in the number of domestic poultry did not halt. For instance, if the figure was 45 million birds in 2019, it fell to 43.3 million in 2020. This indicates the difficulties in the development of poultry farming in the country.

Furthermore, in 2022, the number of domestic chickens was 49.8 million heads, and in the current year, 2023, it has increased to 52.09 million. However, even in 2023, it still did not reach the level of 60 million that was observed in 1990.

The Bureau of National Statistics has released discouraging data concerning Kazakhstan’s poultry farming industry. According to the report, the domestic industry has been unable to reach the high marks that were seen in the 90s.

As Inbusiness.kz writes, in 1990, the year when Kazakhstan gained independence, the country had 59.9 million heads of domestic poultry. This number stayed more or less the same for several years. However, in recent years, the number of chickens has decreased.

Despite the end of the first decade of the new millennium, the reduction in the number of domestic poultry did not stop. For example, if there were 45 million birds in 2019, the number dropped to 43.3 million in 2020. This reflects the difficulties in the development of poultry farming in the country.

Moreover, in 2022, there were 49.8 million domestic chickens, and in the current year of 2023, the number has risen to 52.09 million. However, even in 2023, the figure did not reach the 60 million mark, which was seen back in 1990.

It is also worth noting that cattle farming plays a role in this process. For instance, in 1990, there were 9,757,200 large black bulls in Kazakhstan, while today the number has dropped to just 8,538,100. This means that over 33 years, the number of cattle has decreased by 1,219,100 heads, which also indicates a decline in livestock farming in the country over the past decades.

Furthermore, poultry farms have closed, including large dairy companies «Agroproduct» in Almaty and «Maslodel» in North Kazakhstan.

Currently, the country produces fewer eggs than before. In 2022, egg production was 3,398,800,000 eggs in January-June, and by 2023, this number dropped to 3,328,200,000 eggs. This is an alarming sign.

According to business representatives, the closure of poultry farms is due to reduced subsidies and increased prices for poultry feed. Previously, the budget compensated 4 tenge per bird, but now this mechanism is outdated. According to Prime Minister Alihan Smailov, due to budget constraints, these compensations cannot be continued.

In addition, the prices for feeds that are produced in our country are high compared to other countries.

According to the statements of the members of the Mazhilis, agriculture is currently facing serious problems, and the development of rural entrepreneurship began with the marketing of agricultural products in large volumes.

According to Ruslan Sharipov, the chairman of the Public Chamber of Poultry Farmers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the production of eggs and poultry meat is currently declining. In October, they reduced production by 70,000 eggs. Now they say that it could decrease by up to 200,000. For instance, a large poultry farm in Burabay in the Akmola region has been operating at low productivity for 3-4 years already.

In addition to this, there is currently only one factory operating in East Kazakhstan. Primarily, the transportation of egg and poultry meat products has to be carried out from this large region to other areas.

In this regard, there are real concerns that poultry prices could soar dramatically. The current average cost of 10 eggs is 500 tenge. In Astana, 30 eggs are already being sold for 2,000 tenge. If demand increases, what could be the consequences? Controlling prices and introducing subsidies becomes increasingly difficult in a crisis. The Minister of Agriculture calls for cooperation with markets and traders.

Meanwhile, the Rosselkhoznadzor (Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) has banned the import of products from major poultry farms in Kazakhstan, such as the Akmola Poultry Farm, «Vostok Broiler», «Koger LTD», and «Makinsk». There are 69 poultry farms registered in Kazakhstan in total. However, their exact number is unknown.

Currently, the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, especially the eastern areas, are experiencing serious problems in agriculture. Imports have had a serious impact on local production, and many large poultry farms operate at low productivity. In this context, representatives of the Public Chamber of Poultry Farmers are calling for the development of plans to revive the production of quality feeds and to enrich poultry nutrition.Translated articles may not reflect the editorial position and are published with the aim of increasing the awareness of our readers.