"Over the past five years, the horticultural industry in Turkmenistan has witnessed significant changes. The government's promotion of agriculture and horticulture through subsidies, low-interest credits, and land allocation has stimulated the establishment of numerous greenhouses since 2016."
Yigit's success story aligns with this industry-wide expansion. Joshgun Kerimov, the chief agronomist at Yigit, shares how the company currently manages 70 hectares of plastic greenhouses in Turkmenistan, partly owned and partly rented. To meet growing demands, Yigit plans to rent another 20 hectares this season, thereby expanding their total acreage to 90 hectares.
When asked about the company's biggest challenges in growing, Joshgun highlighted several factors. "Firstly, the region experiences low light conditions during winter, posing a challenge for optimal plant growth. Additionally, not all greenhouses have a CO2 supply or heat storage system, further affecting cultivation conditions. Pest pressure from whiteflies and tuta is a persistent issue due to our early start and late finish in the growing season.
Yigit primarily cultivates midsize, red TOVs, which constitute 95% of their production. They primarily grow the Marvelance variety from DeRuiter, which offers resistance to TYLCV, possesses a deep, shiny red color, and boasts good shelf life. This variety has been a popular choice for Yigit due to its favorable characteristics and market demand. "We export approximately 90% of our tomatoes, catering to countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Belarus, the UAE, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. The remaining 10% is distributed within the local market", says Joshgun. The company has received their Global G.A.P certificate to reach these markets.
Although tomatoes dominate the Turkmenistan greenhouse industry, Yigit is considering diversifying their crops and exploring other opportunities in the future. Currently, out of their 70-hectare acreage, they own 30 hectares and have rented an additional 40 hectares from another company. "By renting additional greenhouses and implementing expansions such as more buffer tanks and artificial lighting, we aim to increase our production capacity and meet market demands."
Yigit actively collaborates with Dutch consultants, benefitting from their expertise in horticulture. This partnership with international suppliers and growers contributes to Yigit's continuous growth and development. "With the rise of more glass greenhouses, the level of technique will increase."
Currently, Turkmenistan offers favorable energy prices. "But as these will increase, energy-saving technologies will be in trend, enabling growers to steer their crop more precisely and finetune their cultivation," he adds. "And as the market develops and more markets will buy Turkmenistan produce, we expect more types of crops to be grown in greenhouses and different types of tomatoes to be grown. Supplementary lighting will become increasingly prevalent as growers seek to optimize their yields and lengthen their season."
For more information:
Yigit
Joshgun Kerimov (e-mail)