Kazakh President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev took part via video link in the launch ceremony of a deep corn processing plant and kicked off construction of an industrial park in the Zhambyl region at the Kazakhstan–China investment forum. The event was also attended by Zhambyl region akim Yerbol Karashukeyev, according to infohub.kz.
"Today we are witnessing an important event for the region's economy. In a short time, a modern production facility has been created here that opens up new opportunities for the agro-industrial complex, the processing industry and our agricultural producers. This project clearly shows that large investments are coming to the region, creating new production facilities, jobs and points of economic growth," Yerbol Karashukeyev said.
The launched enterprise is Central Asia's first amino acid production plant. About $1.5 billion in investment is planned to be attracted for all three phases of the project. It is expected to create around 1,500 jobs. In the first phase, the plant will process 500,000 tonnes of corn per year. After reaching full capacity, processing is planned to be increased to 3 million tonnes annually.
The plant specializes in producing amino acids. Its main products include isoleucine, leucine, valine, threonine and glutamine. Some of these are particularly important for the human body. The company's products are in demand in the food and pharmaceutical industries, the biotechnology sector, as well as in the production of specialized nutrition and feed additives. It is expected that 80% of finished products will be exported and 20% sold on the domestic market.
"Shengtai Biotech is the first production complex built by Fufeng outside China. The plant requires significant volumes of raw materials. In the first phase, we plan to purchase around 500,000 tonnes of corn. This will create a new and stable market for local agricultural producers. Therefore, we are interested in cooperating with farmers in the region and encourage them to increase corn acreage and supply their products to the plant," said Wang Yandong, head of SHENGTAI BIOTECH CO., LTD.
According to the regional head, the launch of the enterprise is also of particular importance for the region's farmers. "It is important for us not only to increase production volumes, but also to build a full processing chain within the region. The plant will create steady demand for corn, provide agricultural producers with a stable market and make it possible to produce competitive goods with high added value. Ultimately, all of this should work for the development of the economy and improve the well-being of the region's residents," Yerbol Karashukeyev emphasized.
The Zhambyl region continues systematic work to attract investment and create new production facilities. Today the region's investment portfolio includes 116 projects worth a total of 5.6 trillion tenge. Their implementation is expected to create more than 20,000 new jobs. In the first eight months of 2026, 621.4 billion tenge in investment was attracted to the region's economy, up 48.7% compared with the same period last year. This year, 47 investment projects worth a total of 471 billion tenge are planned to be implemented.