Kazakhstan is moving to reshape its cotton economy with plans for Central Asia’s largest integrated cotton cluster in the Turkestan region. Spanning 60,000 hectares and backed by 200 billion tenge in investment, the project aims to turn Kazakhstan from a raw-fiber exporter into a producer of finished textiles and garments.
The initiative, led by a Chinese investor under an agreement between Zhang Qihai and Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, will integrate the full value chain — from cotton cultivation to apparel manufacturing.
Key infrastructure includes:
• 196 pumping stations with high-efficiency drip irrigation,
• 500 km of irrigation and distribution channels,
• integrated fertilizer supply systems, and
• modern farm machinery sourced globally.
The cluster will significantly elevate domestic processing capacity. Kazakhstan currently produces around 75,000 tons of cotton fiber, most of which is exported due to limited local spinning and weaving facilities.
The project tackles a long-standing structural weakness: Kazakhstan’s dependence on selling low-value raw cotton while importing higher-value textiles. By creating a vertically integrated cluster, the country aims to:
• capture more value domestically,
• strengthen competitiveness against Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan,
• expand textile and garment exports, and
• stimulate private-sector investment in downstream processing.
The use of drip irrigation and smart farming systems also aligns with Kazakhstan’s broader climate and water-security priorities — a crucial factor in Central Asia’s increasingly stressed river basins.
If executed effectively, the Turkestan cluster could become a regional benchmark for sustainable cotton production, combining modern irrigation, mechanisation, and integrated processing. Its success may attract additional foreign investment into spinning, weaving, and garmenting, while reducing reliance on imported finished goods.
Kazakhstan’s challenge will be ensuring:
• reliable water availability,
• competitive energy and logistics costs,
• a skilled textile workforce, and
• stable commercial partnerships with global buyers.
For now, the project signals a strategic shift — from exporting raw fiber to building a textile manufacturing ecosystem — and positions Kazakhstan as an emerging player in Central Asia’s growing apparel supply chain.
