Turkish Company to Build Food-Grade Gelatin Plant in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture, Aidarbek Saparov, met with Bilal Alkoch, Chairman of Iskefe Holding, to discuss the implementation of a major investment project aimed at producing food-grade gelatin, the ministry’s press service reported.
Iskefe Holding plans to start construction of the high-tech facility in 2026. The plant will have an annual capacity of 7,000 tons, with total investment estimated at 22.5 billion tenge. The project is expected to play a strategic role in developing Kazakhstan’s processing industry by enabling deeper utilization of leather raw materials.
Currently, Kazakhstan has 11 leather-processing enterprises capable of handling 3.3 million cattle hides and 3.1 million small livestock hides annually. However, actual processing levels remain low: in 2024, only 5.9% of hides were processed domestically, 7.7% were exported, and over 86% remained unused.
“This project is essential for the development of the agro-industrial sector. The new plant will help utilize large volumes of raw material, improve industry efficiency, and boost export potential. We stand ready to fully support its implementation,” Minister Saparov emphasized.
He noted that Kazakhstan provides extensive support for hide and wool processing, including investment subsidies, funding for shearing centers and mobile equipment, incentives for farmers delivering wool for processing, as well as tax benefits.
The government’s 2024–2028 Comprehensive Plan for Agro-Processing envisions creating more than 70 wool-collection centers and around 200 hide-collection facilities to form a stable raw-material base.
Iskefe Holding representatives expressed confidence that the project will have a lasting positive impact on the sector, create new jobs, and increase the volume of high-value-added exports.
Economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Turkish businesses continues to expand. Currently, 14 joint projects worth USD 1.1 billion are underway, seven of which have already been completed.
