Organic products fair held in Bishkek

Fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, honey, medicinal herbs, as well as fertilizers and technologies are presented today at the fair and exhibition of organic farm products in Bishkek in the square near the Opera and Ballet Theater.

Visitors are interested in the presented goods, tasting and buying the products they like.

Andre Wolkorte is originally from Holland, but has lived in Kyrgyzstan for many years. At the fair he presented two types of cheese of his own production: one with black pepper using German technology and the second using Swiss technology. The milk is local. Andre started his business in Karakol, and now he has opened a small factory near Sokuluk.

— This is a completely natural product. If there are antibiotics or other chemicals in the milk, then the cheese production process simply will not work. Therefore, I am confident in the quality of my product, — says the director of Nomad’s farm Andre Wolkorte.

He supplies his products to Bishkek retail chains. The cheese is not cheap, a kilo costs 1,400 soms. Andre explains this by the fact that production requires a lot of time and labor.

Home-smoked meat delicacies are sold on the next table.

— How much is the sausage? — a woman asked.

— 1,200 soms per kilo.

— A bit expensive, — the visitor shook her head sadly and walked past.

— All our products are natural. This is pure meat and spices without any additives like starch, soy, fiber. Look at the color! Red, pure fillet. How much does meat cost now? That is why the prices for our product are like this, —the manufacturer Pavel Larin explained. — Many children do not eat store-bought sausage, but they eat sandwiches with my products with pleasure.

The man has been engaged in this production for four years.

— The demand is small because of the cost, but we already have regular customers. I buy raw materials from regular suppliers, I have no complaints about them, the necessary quality certificates are available, — he assured.

First Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry Zhanybek Kerimaliev in an interview with 24.kg news agency noted that organic agriculture is developing from year to year.

However, out of 1.2 million hectares of agricultural land, organic farming is currently being practiced on only 67,000 hectares (or only 5 percent of agricultural land).

— Not much, but we will gradually develop. Separate organic aiyl aimaks are being created. We offer farmers to cooperate so that they have the opportunity to enter foreign markets with good volumes of one type of product. The state, for its part, helps agricultural producers by providing preferential loans and equipment on lease, as well as with sales, — the official said.

The fair will last until September 22 inclusive.

In parallel, the regional forum Organic Expo — Central Asia is taking place, uniting supporters of the systematic promotion of organic, regenerative agriculture, the preservation of the biocultural diversity of mountain regions and the achievement of sustainable development of the agricultural sector of Central Asian countries.