Kazakhstan opens camel milk powder plant in Aralsk with China export contract signed
A new plant in Aralsk, Kyzylorda region, has started producing dried camel milk with capacity of up to 400 tonnes a year. The 3 billion tenge project processes 20,000 litres of raw milk daily and has already signed a supply contract with China.
New dried-milk line starts up in Aralsk
A plant producing dried camel milk has begun operations in the Kazakh city of Aralsk, in the Kyzylorda region, according to finance.rambler.ru citing a report by MIR 24 correspondent Kirill Kharlamov. The project is described as one of the region's larger industrial ventures and is intended to strengthen its manufacturing base.
The enterprise will produce up to 400 tonnes of powder a year. It was initiated by a local camel milk processing plant, and raw material for the new product is bought from residents of the surrounding area. Turning the liquid into powder requires 20,000 litres of milk a day, giving local herders a daily buyer and a steady source of income.
State support and investment
Under a state support scheme, the project received a one-hectare land plot in an industrial zone. The company acquired high-technology equipment worth almost 2 billion tenge (about 300 million rubles) through the Industrial Development Fund. The total cost of the project is 3 billion tenge (about 500 million rubles).
According to the source, the plant was built in line with instructions issued by the head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The facility currently employs 23 people, a figure expected to rise as output grows.
Domestic market and export to China
Output from the new plant will be directed both to Kazakhstan's domestic market, where it is expected to reduce imports of milk powder, and to foreign buyers. A contract to supply dried camel milk to China has already been signed, opening an export channel for a product that commands a premium over conventional dairy powders.
For importers and traders, the launch matters because powder is far easier to ship and store than liquid camel milk, which has limited shelf life. The combination of domestic import substitution and a confirmed Chinese order gives the Aralsk plant two distinct demand streams from the outset, while the daily intake of 20,000 litres ties the operation directly to the region's camel herders.
