The used area of greenhouses in Kazakhstan has decreased by 18.1% over the last year. This means that instead of almost 1,500 hectares of greenhouse area being used for growing vegetables, seedlings, and flowers, only 1,200 hectares are currently being used, media reports.
The complexes of 270.5 hectares have not been demolished or destroyed; they do not work for the intended purpose.
The decrease in the area of farm greenhouses contributed most to the negative indicators, with larger industrial greenhouses of agricultural enterprises also reducing the area used, although the losses were insignificant. This situation is expected to affect the results of the gross production of greenhouse vegetables, with the total production of cucumbers and tomatoes grown on closed ground in 2022 being almost a third less than in 2021.
The main supplier of greenhouse vegetables in Kazakhstan is the south, with the leading economies of the Turkestan region. However, after the past heavy winter, when unprecedented frosts hit the south, many greenhouses in the southern regions suffered huge losses, with 90% of greenhouse farms in the south now approaching bankruptcy.
The main problem for landowners of the south last winter was the catastrophic coal situation, with tens of tons of immature frozen tomatoes being thrown out by farmers. The shortage and high fuel costs are only one of many items on the list of barriers to developing the greenhouse business in Kazakhstan.
Farmers are asking to introduce state-owned greenhouse subsidies and partial compensation for energy costs to equalize Kazakh agronomists with entrepreneurs from neighboring countries. The rise in prices for greenhouse vegetables in Kazakh stores significantly exceeds food inflation, with the appreciation of cucumbers being in the range of 47.5%-56.8% during the most "high" season.
Comments (0)