The 'Michurinsky Orchard' has opened at the Talgar branch of Kazakhstan's Research Institute of Horticulture in Almalyk, under the Kazakhstan-Russia Center for Advanced Agricultural Technologies, launched in April 2025.
The orchard spans 3 hectares and will combine scientific research with commercial production. Researchers will expand the gene pool of fruit and berry crops, adapt new high-yield varieties, and implement resource-efficient, high-intensity cultivation techniques. The goal is to increase output, improve product quality, and create a sustainable supply of raw materials for advanced processing, from juices to functional foods.
Russian partners have contributed a variety of industrial apple cultivars, as well as pears, plums, raspberries, and other berries. Experimental plots will test high-yielding Russian varieties suitable for Kazakhstan's climate, in collaboration with leading Russian research centers.
Key varieties include:
- Apple "Pamyati Nesterova": winter variety, large fruits (up to 300 g), heat- and drought-resistant, 6+ months storage
- Pear "Nika": autumn red-fleshed, disease- and stress-resistant
- Plum "Zarechnaya Rannyaya": high-yield, climate-resilient
- Raspberry "Sulamif": high-yield, lightly spined, aromatic fruits
The orchard will also include unique pears, cherries, plums, and niche berries like honeysuckle, currants, gooseberries, aronia, sea buckthorn, irga, viburnum, and rose hips.
Source: apk-news.kz
