Kazakhstan company "Vita" plans to come to the market of CIS and Europe with soybean products

/Kazakhstan today, July 14, 03/ - Kazakhstan company "Vita" plans to come to the market of CIS and Europe with soybean products. General director of "Vita" OJSC Peter Potapov informed about it on July 14 in Almaty. At present the company has started realization the major stage of building of the plant "Vitasoy" in Almaty for thorough processing of soybean, because Development bank of Kazakhstan approved financing of this project at the rate of $8 m. Total sum of credits of Development bank, which are given on the project "Vitasoy" since 2002, equaled to $15.5 m. for 7 years. It's planned to start the plant with the capacity of 140 th. tons of soybean a year in the next year already, soybean flour production will equal to - 15 th. tons, soybean srot - 80 th.tons, soybean oil - 25 th. tons, edible soybean white - 15 th. tons. As the general director marked, the built plant "Vitasoy" is the first one on the territory of CIS. Kazakhstan potential on soybean growing is sufficient in order to provide not only domestic needs, but European and CIS countries' need as well. Combination of favorable climate conditions, presence of high effective sorts of seeds, big sown areas really increase competitiveness of Kazakhstan soybean production, Potapov states. Besides, its strategic advantage is the fact that it is genetically non-modified in comparison with its foreign analogues. "I'm sure in the nearest 4-5 years Kazakhstan will occupy its form niche at European market and at CIS countries' market", - the director said. Besides he marked that growing of soybean in Kazakhstan is very profitable. "That's why this project is a good step on the way to diversification of agriculture in Kazakhstan", - the head of "Vita" thinks. According to his information, soybean crop in the country equals in the average to 40 centners from one hectare in comparison with 26 centners in the USA. Net income from soybean growing is now equal in the republic to no less than $200 from hectare for a season. Within the past three years soybean crops increased in the country 10 times as much and reached 35 th. hectares. In the future it's planned to increase them up to 70 th. hectares. As Potapov informed, Kazakhstan will be able to grow every year about 5 m. tons of soybean a year. [2003-07-14]