The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin held talks with the President of Valmont Industries Stephen Kanevsky via videoconferencing. The parties discussed the prospects for cooperation and exchange of experience in the fields of animal husbandry, breeding, seed production, drip and sprinkler irrigation, agricultural science and education.
As a result of negotiations between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh company Kusto Group and the American company Valmont Industries, an investment agreement was signed. The document provides for the creation in Kazakhstan of a network of demonstration farms and the construction of a plant for the production of modern irrigation systems and crop yield management. The plant's capacity will be 1 Valley frontal and pivot irrigation machines per year. American irrigation technologies will increase the productivity of crop production and reduce water consumption in agriculture by 50-70%. The formation of a network of demonstration farms will ensure the transfer of advanced technologies in the field of irrigation, rational use of water resources, fodder production, education and training of farmers and training of qualified personnel.
Valmont Industries is a global leader in investment and management of water infrastructure, irrigated agriculture and irrigation systems. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The company's annual turnover exceeds $ 2,6 billion. The Head of Government stressed that the agro-industrial complex is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the same time, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Kazakhstan is one of the five countries with the greatest potential in the field of agriculture. “By the end of 2020, agriculture has achieved a steady growth of 5,6% - the highest indicator in the industry over the past 6 years. The agro-industrial complex has become a key factor in curbing inflation in Kazakhstan amid ongoing disruptions in global food chains, ”A. Mamin said. First Deputy Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, Ministers of Agriculture Saparkhan Omarov, Ministers of National Economy - Ruslan Dalenov, Foreign Affairs - Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States Yerzhan Kazykhanov, Head of the Kusto Group Erkin Tatishev, with the American - Deputy US Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ling Theodore, President of Valmont Irrigation Lenny Adams and Vice President of Valmont Industries Joshua Dixon.