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Zhambyl Region led Kazakhstan in investment in food production, attracting 142.9 billion tenge in January–September 2026. That accounted for 38.3% of the national total, inbusiness.kz reports, citing energyprom.kz. The region’s major projects include a $1.2 billion complex for advanced corn processing.
What happened
Investment in Zhambyl Region’s food industry rose 6.8-fold over the nine-month period. A year earlier, investment for the same period stood at 20.9 billion tenge.
Almaty Region ranked second with 46.7 billion tenge, followed by Turkestan Region with 40.7 billion. Astana, with 39.2 billion, and North Kazakhstan Region, with 31.8 billion tenge, also made the top five.
These five areas accounted for 80.8% of investment in the industry. Astana recorded the fastest growth: investment rose more than 13-fold, from 2.9 billion to 39.2 billion tenge.
What this means
Zhambyl Region’s major project is designed to process up to 3 million tonnes of corn a year once it reaches full capacity. Plans call for the complex to produce starch and amino acids for the food and animal feed industries. It is expected to create up to 1.5 thousand jobs.
Construction of an industrial park began in September 2026. Its first phase is designed to process 500 thousand tonnes of raw materials a year. Investment in the initial phase totals $350 million.
Other regions are also attracting investment in food production. A cheese factory costing 35.2 billion tenge is under construction in Almaty Region, with capacity to produce 155 thousand tonnes a year. It is scheduled to open in 2029.
Planned production facilities
Plans in Astana include a meat processing plant with capacity to produce up to 50 tonnes of finished products a day. Plans call for buying raw materials from domestic suppliers and creating up to 300 jobs at the plant.
Expanding processing is also part of the government’s “Investment Order” concept, presented in September 2025. It covers 202 projects across 12 areas of the agro-industrial sector for 2025–2027.
Priority went to products for which Kazakhstan relies heavily on imports: sugar, cheese and cottage cheese, poultry meat, sausages and fish products. The concept also covers agricultural businesses and the infrastructure they need.
