In Kazakhstan, 2.3 million tons of seeds will be required for the 2025 sowing season, 99% of which has been filled. Also, according to preliminary information from the regions, the readiness of agricultural machinery for spring field work today is about 56%, the government press service reported.
Preparations for sowing, as well as preparations for the fight against locusts, were discussed in the government under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, within the framework of early financing, which began on November 29, 2024, 70 billion tenge out of 100 billion tenge were paid to 671 agricultural producers. Farmers from grain-growing regions: Akmola, Kostanay and North Kazakhstan regions, took the most active advantage of this instrument. And in the southern regions - Turkestan, Zhambyl regions and Zhetysu, where spring sowing begins earlier, the application pool is only 10 billion tenge.
It was also noted that this year the amount of equipment for treating fields from locusts will be doubled. To make the purchase of ground spraying equipment and UAVs affordable, agricultural producers and service providers for chemical treatments are reimbursed 25% of their cost. For this purpose, the corresponding changes were made to the rules for investment subsidies of the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to Vice Minister of Agriculture Ermek Kenzhekhanuly, if 247 units were used for chemical treatment of fields in 2024, then 443 units are planned for 2025. Among them are 46 agrodrones, which the Ministry of Agriculture purchased for the regional divisions of the RSE "Phytosanitary", and another seven UAVs for field surveys.
"Based on the results of a successful pilot project in the Turkestan region, where last spring field spraying with agrodrones and centralized procurement of services for the purchase, transportation, storage of pesticides and the treatments themselves were tested, the Ministry of Agriculture has already introduced the procurement of a single service for phytosanitary measures in all regions based on the principle of "One supplier - all work". This makes it attractive for businesses to participate in the purchase of these services and increases responsibility for the result. In addition, we have created attractive conditions for farmers and suppliers of chemical treatment services in terms of reimbursement of 25% of the cost of agrodrones, ground fan and boom sprayers," said Ermek Kenzhekhanuly.
Following the meeting, Serik Zhumangarin instructed to review the structure of sown areas in terms of reducing the volume of wheat sowing and increasing oilseeds and other high-margin crops. He also instructed to maximize the area of sowing elite seeds of Kazakhstan selection, which showed the best results in the 2024 harvest.
Next Wednesday, Serik Zhumangarin plans to go to one of the southern regions to get acquainted with the progress of preparations for spring field work and discuss the development of the real sector of the economy.