Bal Shireh Fruit Processing Plant Handed Over to Jargylchak Municipal Administration

published: 08 April 2015

In line with its strategy of supporting local communities in their bid to secure sustainable development, Kumtor Gold Company has handed over to the Jargylchak Municipal Administration the Bal Shireh fruit processing plant designed to produce aseptic canned goods and juices and located in the village of Ak-Terek, Jety-Oguz district.
All legal and financial issues with respect to this transfer were settled in March 2015.

This plant was created largely due to Kumtor Gold Company’s investment which has amounted to approximately 36 million soms since the plant was put into operation. Even before the plant was commissioned, Kumtor Gold Company had provided advisory and technical support to it for a few years. Experts retained by KGC assisted the plant with searching for partners, purchasing raw materials and selling finished goods. Part of the plant’s produce was supplied to the Kumtor mine, the first 300 liters being delivered on November 18, 2014. Also, Kumtor helped overhaul the plant premises, purchase refrigerated storage container and improve the adjacent area.

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The Bal Shireh municipal plant produces pureed apricots, apples, pears and tomatoes that are used for juice production. Bal Shireh supplies its puree to a Bishkek-based partner company which produces preservative-free natural juices.
Since commissioning, the plant has bought approximately 64 tonnes of apricots, 19 tonnes of apples, 20 tonnes of pears and 30 tonnes of tomatoes from Issyk-Kul farmers.
“Not only has our plant provided local residents with jobs but also enabled residents of neighboring villages to sell their fruit for processing. Hopefully, the environmentally friendly goods our plant produces will soon win recognition in the national market,” said Kairat Janybekov, the plant’s director.