In the Almaty region, Kazakhstan, a large-scale project continues to revive the historic "Almaty Aport" apple variety, a symbol of the country's horticultural heritage. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Astana-20 State Fund, and NANOC, with total investments of 163 million tenge.
The first orchard, covering 10 hectares, was planted at the Talgar branch of the Kazakh Research Institute of Horticulture.
Over the next three years, the project plans to plant 110 hectares of Aport orchards. The first harvest is expected in 7–8 years.
Infrastructure improvements accompany the planting, including upgraded irrigation systems, a water reservoir, fenced mother-stock gardens, and new agricultural machinery.
Researchers at the Talgar branch, the in vitro genofund laboratory, and the horticultural biotechnology lab are creating a virus-free pre-basis genofund of apple varieties and rootstocks, forming the foundation for a modern virus-free nursery system.
Source: www.gov.kz
