They use it as livestock feed: Growing watermelons and melons in Kazakhstan turns out to be unprofitable

Kazakh farmers are reducing production of melons and watermelons because they are less profitable than other crops and because they are so abundant that they are being fed to animals. Oda.

According to analysts’ calculations Energyprom.kzIn 2024, the area of ​​melon cultivation in Kazakhstan decreased by 8.9% from 107,600 hectares in the previous year to 98,100 hectares. Melons and watermelons are mainly grown by individual entrepreneurs and farmers, with the largest production in the Turkestan region (more than 75% of the sown area is located in this region).

Farmers in the southern regions are gradually switching from watermelons and melons to more profitable crops. But there is no threat of melon shortages in Kazakhstan. According to the State Statistics Office, even in the dry year of 2023, the country harvested 2.8 million tons of melons, and in 2024 farmers had no problems with watering, so now they are preparing for the second harvest of watermelons.

According to Energyprom, citing local media reports, there is even a surplus of melons in Kazakhstan. This year, the melon production in the Turkestan region was so high (up to 270% per hectare) that farmers could not even sell all the goods. It has come to the point where the “extra” melons are used to feed livestock.

But with the export of watermelons and melons, everything becomes difficult in Kazakhstan: 99% of the production is sold on the domestic market. In 2023, the country’s farmers exported a total of 31,900 tons of melons abroad, mainly to Russia and Belarus.

According to analysts, in June the price of watermelons rose to 259 tenge per kilo, and melons to 456 tenge per kilo. But in July, prices fell again (135 tenge per kilo of watermelons and 346 tenge per kilo of melons).