According to reports from the village administration, autumn agricultural work has been completed on 92 hectares where there was no irrigation before. The first apple harvest was collected with the participation of local council deputies, village administration workers, employees of the municipal enterprise "Taza Muras," and local residents. "Through our joint efforts, we have gathered the first harvest from young apple trees. This is just the beginning; in the future, we expect significantly larger yields. When we organize processing and production, new jobs will be created," noted the chairman of the village council, Orozbek Mukambetov.
The project for the intensive apple orchard "Zhasyl Muras" was implemented under the presidential decree dated January 31, 2022, No. 17, which proclaimed 2022 as the Year of Protection of Mountain Ecosystems and Climate Resilience, with the aim of increasing the local budget. Approximately 102,000 seedlings of various apple, pear, plum, and cherry varieties have been planted on a 92-hectare plot No. 312 in the village of Mikhailovka.
The head of the village administration of Issyk-Kul, Urmat Bozgunov, noted that previously these lands, belonging to the state land fund, were used for grain cultivation, but the yields remained low. In 2022, the development of these lands began under the "Zhasyl Muras" program. During the work, 8 kilometers of trenches for the reservoir were dug, 4,000 meters of canals were restored, and a pumping system was installed to provide drip irrigation with purified water.
"Electric lighting, a warehouse, and a site for agricultural machinery were also built. In the future, we plan to install video surveillance. Regular care and pruning of the trees will ensure the collection of the first harvest by 2025. We intend to process the fruits into juices, dried fruits, and other products, as well as create a workshop for storage and processing. When the orchard reaches full capacity, we will be able to create about 350 jobs and improve the financial situation of the rural area," Urmat Bozgunov reported.
The head of the municipal enterprise "Taza Muras," Askat Kazakbaev, added that the orchard is under constant supervision. "We are irrigating in four sectors using pumps and a drip irrigation system. This method has shown high efficiency—over two years, the young trees have produced their first harvest. After the fruits are harvested, pruning and soil treatment will be carried out," he clarified.
About 25 million soms from the local budget, project grants, and other funding sources have been allocated for the implementation of the project to develop the rain-fed lands. This is the first case since 1964 when full-fledged horticulture with an irrigation system, storage, and modern infrastructure has appeared on previously arid lands in the region.
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