The state policy aimed at supporting small and medium-sized businesses in Turkmenistan, including agribusiness, is bearing fruit.
A striking example of this is the story of Batyr Roziyev, a farmer from the Kerki district of the Lebap province. Thanks to the favorable conditions created by the government, he was able to turn a small farm into a thriving enterprise supplying fresh produce to both the domestic market and international consumers.
Three years ago, after planting on five hectares, he built a greenhouse where he grows tomatoes. The farm’s four hectares are occupied by tomatoes, while the remaining space accommodates aisles and essential greenhouse equipment. To finance this endeavor, the farmer secured a preferential loan from a bank.
The plot allocated for the construction of the greenhouse is sandy. Therefore, before starting its construction, dozens of cars of soil were brought in.
Tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse in a combined, traditional and modern way. They grow in the soil, and not in special suspended boxes, as in many other greenhouses. Irrigation is carried out by drip method, and fertilizer is diluted in irrigation water. A well-thought-out irrigation system saves irrigation water and prevents soil salinization. The delicate task of pollinating the flowers is entrusted to “Duo Best” wasps, imported from Türkiye, which reside in specially designed boxes within the greenhouse.
The opening of the greenhouse was a real event for the local community, as 45 new jobs were created.
This season, 175 tons are planned to be harvested from each hectare in the greenhouse, or about 700 tons in total.
The entrepreneur has many clients. The products are supplied to Kerki, Turkmenabat and Mary. In addition, Turkmen tomatoes are exported to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia and Afghanistan. Roziyev has established a stable relationship with the businessmen of these countries.
Tomatoes are not the only thing an entrepreneur grows. Next to the greenhouse, there is an apple orchard on four hectares, which has already yielded a harvest of ten tons of apples.
In Lebap province, dozens of private producers are engaged in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits. The result of their activities is that the domestic market is increasingly saturated with food products of their own production. Most importantly, they are offered to customers at affordable prices, so the goods do not stay on the shelves of retail outlets for a long time. ///nCa, 2 January 2025 (based on the materials of the newspaper “Neutral Turkmenistan”)