In his speech, Darkhan Satybaldy emphasized the social significance of this project and wished success in implementing a new initiative that will elevate cotton farming to a new level.
The cost of the project, set to be implemented next year, is 146.8 billion tenge. The full-cycle textile factory will consist of 11 workshops — spinning, fabric production, dyeing, and processing. More than 2000 jobs will be created. The plan includes the production of 13,000 tons of yarn annually, 50 million meters of home textiles, and 7 million sets of bed linen.
Moreover, production capacity will increase each year.
The construction of the manufacturing complex aimed at developing the cotton cluster will be carried out by Xinjiang Lihua (Group) Co., LTD. This company works directly with globally renowned brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. In the future, sewing threads and fabrics made in Turkestan will be sold to these giant brands.
The Turkestan region is the only area in the country where cotton is grown. There is extensive work underway to create a cotton-textile cluster. In addition to selling raw cotton, the region places a priority on deep processing of fiber. Since the textile and garment industry in Kazakhstan is still not sufficiently developed and competitive, the price of raw cotton is dependent on the export market.
To address the challenges in the cotton sector, last year, at the request of the regional akim, a "Regional Roadmap for the Development of Cotton Farming and Support of the Cotton-Textile Cluster until 2027" was approved. According to the document, significant work will be carried out across four areas — crop diversification, seed provision, implementation of new technologies, and the establishment of a cotton cluster. By 2027, it is planned to create nine cotton clusters, which should eliminate dependence on cotton prices.
Each year, 100,000 hectares are sown with cotton in the Turkestan region, yielding over 300,000 tons of product. To diversify crops, priority is given to increasing yields through new technologies. This year in the city of Arys, as well as in the Zhetisay, Sauran, and Ordabasy districts, elite varieties of cotton were planted on 2.5 hectares based on Chinese experience. This technology allows for a yield of 60-65 centners per hectare, saving water, energy, labor resources, and mineral fertilizers. This is 2.5 times higher than the regional average. According to farmers, the results are astonishing.
In 2023, a cotton processing plant project by "Cotton Мақта" LLP was launched in the Maktaaral district. The enterprise is equipped with modern Chinese equipment. Last year, the plant processed 40,000 tons of raw cotton.