Conference "Greenhouse Development in Kazakhstan: Success Stories and Current Business Opportunities"

On April 3, 2023, in Aktobe, on the basis of Green Capital Kazakhstan LLP, the conference “Greenhouse Development in Kazakhstan: Success Stories and Current Business Opportunities” was held. The main organizer of the conference was the Chamber of Commerce "BeNeLux" in the Republic of Kazakhstan with the support of the Dutch greenhouse company "Delta", the company "FoodVentures", the Greenhouse Union of Kazakhstan, as well as the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Central Asia and the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The conference was attended by the Mayor of the Netherlands region Westland Bouke Arends, for whom this visit to Kazakhstan is the first, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Kazakhstan Andre Carstens, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Republic of Kazakhstan Anri Vantigem, the President of the BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce Denis van den Weich, the Director of the Dutch greenhouse company Delta Miriyam Bokestein, Investment Adviser of the Akimat of Aktobe Region Nurzhan Orazov, President of the Union of Greenhouses of Kazakhstan Nurlan Adilkhan, Managing Director of Baiterek NMH JSC Niyaz Koshkimbaev, Director of the Department of Production and Transportation of Crop Products of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan Azat Sultanov.

The conference was preceded by a meeting between Akim of Aktobe region Yeraly Tugzhanov and Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Andre Carstens, Ambassador of Belgium Henri Vantigem, Mayor of the Netherlands region Westland Bouke Arends.

During the meeting, Akim emphasized that the Netherlands and Belgium are in the lead in investing in the economy of Kazakhstan - in 2022, a total of about 3 billion US dollars was attracted. Only in the Aktobe region there are 22 companies with the participation of the Dutch and Belgian capital; last year, the trade turnover with the Netherlands exceeded 443,5 million US dollars, with Belgium - 37,7 million US dollars. The Netherlands has consistently ranked first in terms of investment in Kazakhstan in recent years. At the end of the meeting, the Mayor of Westland Bouke Arends and Akim of the Aktobe region Yeraly Tugzhanov signed a memorandum of understanding between the Aktobe region and the Municipality of Westland with the aim of further developing the environmentally friendly sector of greenhouse horticulture and related industries, as well as maintaining constant contacts between investment, trade, educational and tourism institutions.

Among the Dutch companies that attended the conference in Aktobe, the leaders of the greenhouse industry: Certhon, KUBO, MJ-Tech, Ridder, Svensson, Koppert. During the panel discussions, company representatives presented their work, shared their experience in the areas of greenhouse construction, water management, climate control, lighting, and crop protection.

Of particular interest to the representatives of Kazakhstani farms, who were present at the event, was the presentation of the FoodVentures company, which is a member of the BeNeLux chamber. and occupies one of the first places in the region in the supply of greenhouse products. The director of the company, Dirk Aleven, shared methods for increasing yields to obtain a record figure for Kazakhstan of 82 kg. (cherry tomatoes) with 1m2.

The conference was held in a warm, friendly atmosphere and allowed the exchange of views of specialists and technological solutions for the further development of the greenhouse industry in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which fully meets the interests of the "Auyl amanats" project to support the rural population of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the Aktobe region and in the country as a whole, there is a huge potential for further exchange of experience with the Dutch colleagues in the agricultural sector.