China’s Fufeng Group to build $800 mln deep-processing corn plant in southern Kazakhstan.Construction of an industrial park by Chinese company Fufeng Group, specializing in the deep processing of corn, has commenced in the Zhambyl Region, according to the press service of the national company Kazakh Invest.The project is being implemented in the Shu District near the Jibek Joly Special Economic Zone (SEZ). It is expected to become one of the largest ventures in Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial sector.The project’s infrastructure includes a starch sugar production plant, three amino acid fermentation facilities, and a wastewater treatment plant. Future plans involve establishing production lines for hydrochloric acid and liquid ammonia.The project will also produce lysine, sodium glutamate, xanthan gum, and feed amino acids. Kazakh Invest emphasized that the value of these products is 10–15 times higher than the cost of the raw materials used.The output will be exported to the European Union, North Africa, and the Middle East.Total investment amounts to $800 million, with an annual processing capacity of 1 million tonnes of corn.The first phase of the project is scheduled for completion in Q4 2025, with full operational capacity expected by 2026.Fufeng Group also plans to collaborate with local farmers by providing fertilizers, modern agricultural technologies, and guaranteed sales through offtake contracts.The agreement to implement the project in Kazakhstan was reached during meetings between Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at the KGIR-2024 forum and in Shanghai.In autumn 2024, it was reported that Fufeng had considered building a similar project in northern Kazakhstan’s Kostanay Region.Fufeng Group Company Limited is a major Chinese producer of bio-fermentation products and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of food additives, flavor enhancers, sweeteners, seasonings, amino acids, animal feed, fertilizers, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It produces over 50 core products, including sodium glutamate, xanthan gum, glucose, and fructose. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX