Kazakhstan is set to construct a major ammonia and carbamide (also called urea) plant under an investment agreement, following a decree signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.
During talks with ESTA Construction executives on March 4, Bektenov instructed relevant ministries to finalize the investment agreement within two weeks. The project will be developed by Qazesta Fertilizers, a joint venture between QazaqGaz and ESTA Construction.
The $1.35bn plant will be built in the Mangistau region, strategically positioned to facilitate exports via the Caspian Sea. Construction is expected to take three and a half years, creating 3,000 jobs during the building phase and 400 permanent positions once operational.
The plant is projected to produce up to 700,000 tons of carbamide and 42,000 tons of ammonia annually, strengthening Kazakhstan’s fertilizer production capacity and export potential.
The project seeks to advance the gas chemical industry, promote import substitution, and produce high-value-added goods.
At present, Kazakhstan manufactures three types of fertilizers: ammonium nitrate, ammophos, and ammonium sulfate. However, with an estimated demand of 3.2mn tons, domestic production meets only about half of this requirement. Establishing local urea production will help reduce reliance on imports, enhance the country's food security, and contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector.
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