The FBRK editorial team has been analysing the dynamics of changes in the landholdings of Kazakhstan's largest land users since the end of last year, in order to ascertain how much land has been seized from them in recent times.
For context, the FBRK editorial office has been receiving a large number of complaints from regions regarding incorrect seizures. The aim of this campaign was supposed to be land belonging to latifundists, but in practice plots are often taken from small and medium-sized farming enterprises.
Having reviewed the lands of Pavlodar, Kostanay, Akmola, North Kazakhstan, Karaganda, East Kazakhstan and Almaty regions, we concluded that no significant changes in land areas had occurred.
At the same time, we noted that the southern regions refused to provide data. Following our publication, the Shymkent branch of the Government for Citizens did eventually send the requested information.
Initially, the FBRK editorial team sent requests to regional akimats, which then assigned which department would respond to our request for a list of the largest land users.
The Shymkent branch gathered information on the owners of the largest land plots, just as the Almaty branch had done previously. In our opinion, this is not entirely correct, as the total area of a latifundist's holdings could be made up of the combined area of several small plots.
Furthermore, the branch did not provide us with the dynamics of area changes over the past few years. Despite this, we analysed the data obtained.
PRODUCTION COOPERATIVE "AK-NIET"
According to the Shymkent branch of the Government for Citizens, the largest land user in the region is the Production Cooperative "Ak-Niet" (cultivation of oilseeds and their seeds), which occupies two large plots with a total area of approximately 2,000 hectares.
The cooperative was registered in 1999. The primary director is Abdulla Әbutәlip. "Ak-Niet" has more than 1,300 founders, presumably shareholders.
According to data from Kompra.kz, Abdulla Әbutәlip is a debtor in enforcement proceedings against JSC "KazTransGas Aimak" and individuals to the sum of 42.2 million tenge, has a tax debt of 122,000 tenge, and is on the list of persons restricted from leaving the country.
The PC "Ak-Niet" has a medium degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the company paid 346,000 tenge in taxes (in 2022 – 86,000 tenge, in 2021 – 148,000 tenge, in 2020 – 134,000 tenge).
SUE "ZHASYL AIMAK"
The branch reports that the second largest land user in Shymkent is SUE "Zhasyl Aimak" of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management of the Turkestan Region, which owns 1,300 hectares of forest fund lands.
Meanwhile, according to our data, the owner of this plot is another subsidiary organisation of the Turkestan Region akimat - SUE "Badam State Institution for the Protection of Forests and Wildlife". In any case, the 1,300-hectare area of green space belongs to the state.
BADAM STATE INSTITUTION
Meanwhile, the Badam State Institution also owns 1,200 hectares of forest fund lands in Shymkent. It is worth noting that the cadastral district in which this plot is located, according to our data, no longer exists.
However, verification is not possible, because the new USRCE information system, as we previously reported, still operates incorrectly.
PRODUCTION COOPERATIVE "KOS-DIIRMEN"
Production Cooperative "Kos-Diirmen" (cultivation of cereals and legumes, including seed production), occupying 700 hectares in Shymkent, was registered in 1997. The primary director and founder of the cooperative is Makhamadkul Akhmedov.
"Kos-Diirmen" has a medium degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the company paid 105,000 tenge in taxes (in 2022 – 452,000 tenge, in 2021 – 157,000 tenge, in 2020 – 114,000 tenge). Additionally, Akhmedov is a debtor in enforcement proceedings to the sum of 24.5 million tenge.
LLP "AGROFIRM "DARKHAN"
LLP "Agrofirm "Darkhan" (cultivation of cereals and legumes, including seed production), occupying 700 hectares in Shymkent, was registered in 1991. The primary director and founder of the LLP is Kamisbai Toishybekov.
Agrofirm "Darkhan" has a medium degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the company paid 83,000 tenge in taxes (in 2022 – 83,000 tenge, in 2021 – 307,000 tenge).
Furthermore, the company has a debt under enforcement proceedings to the Shymkent branch of JSC "ForteBank" to the sum of 313.1 million tenge, a ban on registration actions since June 2021, and is on the list of persons restricted from leaving the country.
FARM "ZHANARBEK"
Also considered one of the largest land users, according to the Shymkent branch of the Government for Citizens, is the owner of Farm "Zhanarbek" - a certain Suleimenov Zhanarbek Mustapayevich. He owns a plot of land of 600 hectares.
A person with the same full name and date of birth previously worked as the director of the capital's passenger transport department and was affiliated with JSC "NC "KazAvtoZhol".
Another five land plots provided by the State Corporation have cadastral numbers which, according to the USRCE system, belong to a currently non-existent cadastral district (19-309). However, according to the AIS SLM map, these plots are visible and belong to the Al-Farabi district of Shymkent.
PRODUCTION COOPERATIVE "SAIRAM-ASTYK"
One owner of such a 500-hectare plot is the Production Cooperative "Sairam-Astyk" (cultivation of cereals and legumes, including seed production), registered in 2003. The primary director and one of the founders of the cooperative is Furkhat Asanov, with co-founder Askar Daulenbayev.
In 2018, Daulenbayev was ordered to pay 81.2 million tenge in a civil case. In 2020, due to non-compliance with the court verdict, he also received a fine of 13,000 tenge. To this day, he remains listed as a debtor in enforcement proceedings and is on the list of persons restricted from leaving the country.
"Sairam-Astyk" has a medium degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the company paid 430,000 tenge in taxes (in 2022 – 162,000 tenge, in 2021 – 3,000 tenge, in 2020 – 3,000 tenge). The cooperative has a debt under enforcement proceedings to the sum of 1 million tenge.
PRODUCTION COOPERATIVE "ZHULDUZ-K"
Production Cooperative "Zhulduz-K" (cultivation of oilseeds and their seeds), occupying a plot of 500 hectares, was registered in 2005. The company has more than 200 founders, presumably shareholders.
The cooperative has a high degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the company paid 299,000 tenge in taxes (in 2022 – 427,000 tenge, in 2021 – 519,000 tenge, in 2020 – 273,000 tenge).
LLP "ORKEN-YNTYMAK"
LLP "Orken-Yntymak" (formerly LLP "Shymkent Geoproekt Montazh") was previously engaged in mixed farming, later in wholesale trade of goods, and today the company specialises in land management.
The LLP owns a plot of land 500 hectares in size, registered in 2008. The primary director and one of the founders is Abzal Zhakypbai, with co-founder Sultangali Shambulov.
The company has a medium degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the LLP paid 77,000 tenge in taxes (in 2021 – 26,000 tenge).
TURKESTAN BRANCH OF RSE ON PVC "KAZVODKHOZ"
A plot of the Badam reservoir with an area of 500 hectares is owned by the Turkestan branch of RSE on PVC "Kazvodkhoz". The branch has a medium degree of risk regarding tax obligations. For 2023, the branch paid 365.4 million tenge in taxes (in 2022 – 383.4 million tenge, in 2021 – 400 million tenge, in 2020 – 245.3 million tenge).
For context, we previously published data on the number of available pastures in Kazakhstan at the end of 2023.