Kazakhstan raises cold-storage subsidies to 50% and pushes vegetable capacity past 2.56 million tonnes

Kazakhstan's vegetable storage network has reached 2.56 million tonnes of capacity across 941 facilities, and the government has raised subsidy rates for cold-storage investment to as much as 50% for projects equipped with refrigeration systems.

2023–2025 plan exceeded its target

The Ministry of Agriculture, together with regional authorities, prepared a comprehensive plan for the construction and modernisation of vegetable storage facilities for 2023–2025. The plan initially covered 92 projects with a combined capacity of 689,900 tonnes. By the end of the period, 95 facilities with a total capacity of 745,600 tonnes had been commissioned. In 2025, construction and modernisation work was carried out in 11 regions and in the city of Shymkent.

Subsidy and financing terms

Under the current subsidy rules, project passport No. 22 covers the construction and expansion of potato and vegetable storage facilities from 1,000 tonnes. The reimbursement rate for part of investment costs was raised from 25% to 40–50%:

• Facilities equipped with refrigeration systems: subsidies can cover up to 50% of costs.
• Projects with ventilation equipment: up to 40%.

An additional support mechanism replicates the experience of North Kazakhstan Region through social and entrepreneurial corporations. It provides preferential financing for vegetable storage construction: loans are issued through an authorised agent at an annual rate of 2.5% for up to 10 years.

Regional capacity

The largest storage capacities are concentrated in:

• Pavlodar Region – 591,500 tonnes
• Zhambyl Region – 375,000 tonnes
• Karaganda Region – 357,800 tonnes

Turkestan, Shymkent, Almaty, Mangystau, Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions each hold more than 100,000 tonnes of storage capacity.

Outlook

Further expansion of the vegetable storage network will continue based on the production potential and needs of specific regions, with priority planned for areas specialising in potatoes and fruit and vegetable production.

Source: agrosektor.kz