Construction of an industrial park by China’s Fufeng Group, specializing in deep corn processing, was officially launched in the Zhambyl region in south Kazakhstan on April 16.
According to Kazakh Invest national investment promotion company, the project is being implemented in the Shu district near the Jibek Joly special economic zone (SEZ).
The total investment will amount to $800 million, with a planned processing capacity of one million tons of corn per year. The first phase is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, with the plant reaching its full capacity in 2026.
The facility will produce high value-added products such as lysine, monosodium glutamate, xanthan gum, and feed amino acids, whose market prices are 10-15 times higher than those of raw corn.
The project’s infrastructure includes a starch sugar plant, three amino acid fermentation facilities, and a wastewater treatment station.
In the next phase, the project plans the production of chemical components such as hydrochloric acid and liquid ammonia.
Products will be exported to the European Union, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Fufeng Group also plans to establish long-term partnerships with local farmers by providing fertilizers, modern agro-technologies, and guaranteed off-take under contract agreements.
At the launch ceremony, Chairman of the Board of Fufeng Group Li Xuechun stated: “The project in Kazakhstan will become an important part of our global strategy. Plants in China serve the Asian market, facilities in the United States serve North and Latin America, and the future plant in the Zhambyl region will be focused on Europe.”
