First Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry Zhanibek Kerimaliev noted that farmers receive about 28-42 soms for milk with a fat content of at least 3.4%. Collectors, in turn, allocate 5 soms for their expenses and sell milk to processing plants for 32-48 soms.
Milk prices in various regions are as follows:
- Bishkek - 35-37.5 soms;
- Chui Region - 36-37 soms;
- Naryn Region - 35-36 soms;
- Talas Region - 32-41 soms;
- Issyk-Kul Region - 34-48 soms.
Head of the company "Talas Daamy" Baktybek Tuuganbaev added that his plant buys milk for 43-45 soms, while farmers sell it for 37 soms. He also noted that the issue of milk yield remains unresolved.
"The average yield in Talas is 8 liters per cow, in Chui Region - 10 liters, while in Russia and Belarus this figure reaches 15 and 20 liters, respectively. We have the lowest indicators, which requires an increase in productivity. In Europe, cows that produce less than 25 liters of milk are not kept," Tuuganbaev noted, emphasizing the need for government support.
He also reported that farmers are provided with loans of up to 5 million soms at 3%, but the loan amount should be increased to 10 million soms.
Tuuganbaev talked about a trip of farmers to the Saratov Region, where they met with the owner of a farm producing 160 tons of milk per day. "We need such farms in Talas and other regions. If we could acquire pedigree cows, farmers would start earning more," he added.
