Suburban greenhouse farming has been attracting particular interest from foreign investors in recent years. This trend is contributing to the prosperity of local agriculture, the creation of new jobs, and an increase in export potential.

Today, the number of greenhouses on the outskirts of Shymkent is about fifty, 19 of which are large production complexes. The annual volume of production is also increasing. For example, this season alone, about 81 thousand tons of vegetables were harvested in the city. Most of them are tomatoes. Currently, tomatoes are sold at the most affordable price in the city markets - on average, they are sold for 200 tenge. This is not only beneficial for consumers, but also means increased productivity for farmers.

In the near future, new world-class projects are expected to be launched. One of them is the greenhouse complex of the Turkish company Alarko Holding on an area of 650 hectares. The total capacity of this project will be enough to produce 155 thousand tons of tomatoes per year. The products will be exported not only to the domestic market of Kazakhstan, but also to neighboring countries. At the initial stage of the project, about 2 thousand people will be employed, and when it reaches full capacity, up to 5 thousand new jobs are planned to be created. In addition, it is planned to create a special academy that will train agricultural specialists in accordance with international standards.

In addition, the construction company Sine Midas Stroy and the Polish Fabe Agro intend to jointly build a modern greenhouse in Shymkent. The cost of this investment project is $120 million, and the production capacity will reach 36 thousand tons of products per year. According to the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aidarbek Saparov, Kazakhstan is interested in supporting high-tech projects and developing export-oriented greenhouse production.

In general, such a breakthrough in the agricultural sector is directly related to the state policy of recent years. Shymkent occupies a special place in the republic as an agricultural region. If in previous years greenhouses were developed only at the level of small farms, now large-scale projects of the international level are being implemented. For example, in the 2010s, there were only dozens of small greenhouses in Shymkent, today their number has reached hundreds, and their production capacity has increased several times. This is the result of modern technology, foreign investment and state support.

Compared to the experience of previous years, the scale of today's projects is much larger. For example, while ten years ago the average size of greenhouses in the city was only a few hectares, the area of currently planned complexes reaches hundreds of hectares. Also, while previously production was mainly directed only to the domestic market, now the issue of export is becoming a major priority.

Shymkent's greenhouse industry also plays an important role in ensuring the country's food security. While Kazakhstan traditionally imports a certain amount of tomatoes from Uzbekistan and Russia, Shymkent products are likely to replace these imports in the coming years. This, in turn, will give impetus to the development of domestic production and increase the stability of the national economy.

At the same time, new projects in the agricultural sector will have a positive impact on the social situation of the local population. Thousands of new jobs will be created, and labor resources in rural areas will be used more effectively. The emergence of new specialties in agriculture will allow attracting young people to the agricultural sector.

Work in this direction can be compared with the initiatives of previous years. For example, in 2015, the first state programs for the development of greenhouse farming were launched in Shymkent, and the first investments were attracted. But the projects at that time mainly did not exceed 10-20 hectares. Compared to current projects, their scale and economic impact were much lower. Today, the agricultural sector of Shymkent is becoming an international investment center.

New greenhouse complexes are not limited to the production of products. They use modern technologies: drip irrigation, energy-saving systems, automatic climate control devices. These methods not only improve the quality of products, but also allow saving water and energy. For example, currently, according to the data of "Water Resources - Marketing" LLP, the share of water consumption in the agricultural sector is more than 60% of the total volume. The launch of new projects paves the way for more efficient use of water.

In conclusion, the greenhouse industry of Shymkent has entered a new stage of development. The fields near the city have turned into modern production sites, and tomato products are ready to not only supply the domestic market, but also increase export potential. This will raise the agricultural sector of Kazakhstan to a new level and make a significant contribution to strengthening the country's food security.