Problems and prospects of sugar beet cultivation in Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Timiryazev Str. 45, KZ050040 Almaty, Kazakhstan
*Correspondence: d.kopytina@gmail.com
Abstract:
Purpose – to ensure the food security of Kazakhstan, domestic sugar industry should aim at a significant reduction in import dependence and transition to self-sufficiency. The share of domestic sugar from sugar beet in Kazakhstan is 7%.
Design/methodology/approach – review indicating the main problems in the sugar beet production in Kazakhstan for the purpose of reimagining the domestic sugar beet industry to reduce dependence on sugar import. We analyzed the dynamics of sugar beet cultivation in Kazakhstan over the past 20 years and detected a sharp reduction in the sugar beet production.
Findings – we have identified 10 problems in sugar beet production in Kazakhstan and determined the necessary targeted solutions. We consider the main direction to be the development of scientific methodology for sugar beet production (breeding of new highly productive disease-resistant cultivars, improvement of sugar beet protection system, efficient crop rotation). The most notable problems included in this paper are small-scale marketability of sugar beet farms, infectious diseases of sugar beet, water supply shortages, use of outdated agricultural technologies, high cost of imported sugar beet seeds.
Originality/value – The present paper includes a full analysis of current problems in sugar beet production in Kazakhstan.
Key words:
agrotechnical incompetence, diseases, food security, sugar beet production