In his speech, he noted that President Sadyr Japarov's address last year highlighted the development of the agro-industrial complex, particularly in two key areas — the processing of agricultural products and organic farming.
Akimaliev reported that over the past four years, the level of food self-sufficiency in Kyrgyzstan has significantly increased. Previously, the country could fully provide itself only with three types of products — milk, potatoes, and vegetables, but now sugar, meat, and eggs have been added to this list. Thus, six out of nine essential food security products are now produced domestically.
Nevertheless, the academician pointed to the ongoing dependence on imports. Approximately 50% of wheat, up to 80% of vegetable oil, and about 55% of fruit and berry products are imported. Despite the fact that the volume of domestic fruit and berry production reached nearly 400 thousand tons in 2024, a significant portion of this produce is lost due to insufficient processing.
According to various estimates, losses of fruit and berry products can reach 40%. The processing level is only 5-10%, while during the Soviet period, more than 50% of the harvest was processed. A similar picture is observed in other sectors: only about 1% of the produced meat is processed, as well as a minimal share of apricots and other crops.
Akimaliev cited the example of Batken apricots, which are sold raw at low prices and then processed abroad, where their value significantly increases. He also noted that the lack of market outlets leads to fruits and berries remaining unclaimed and spoiling in regions, including the Issyk-Kul region.
In his opinion, a priority task is the creation of processing enterprises, logistics, and trade centers. Without this, the scientist believes, it is impossible to ensure the country’s food security. He also emphasized that processing often turns out to be a more complex and important task than production itself.
Akimaliev also reported that one of the tasks set by the president is to increase the level of agricultural product processing to 25% over the next five years. He is confident that achieving this goal is possible with active investment attraction and the creation of favorable conditions for the processing industry.
