ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 5. A Comprehensive
Program for the Development of the light industry sector will be
drafted in Kazakhstan with the participation of the business
community and industry associations, Trend reports via the press service of the
Kazakh government.


The decision was made following a meeting of the economic growth
task force, which discussed measures for the further development of
the country's light industry.


According to the government, the need for a systemic development
document is driven by both the sector’s positive performance in
recent years and its significant potential for further growth.


“Light industry is very important for us in terms of ensuring
employment. For example, the Turkestan region, the most densely
populated region of the country, has the largest number of light
industry enterprises. With their further development, there is an
opportunity to provide local residents with jobs and decent wages,”
said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik
Zhumangarin.


He noted that the Ministry of Industry and Construction should
begin drafting the development program jointly with businesses. The
document will identify key enterprises, their current performance
indicators, and development targets. In return, companies will be
expected to ensure employment for local residents and increase
production.


According to the Ministry of Industry and Construction, the
sector has demonstrated steady growth over the past five years. In
2025, production in the light industry increased by 13.2%, reaching
260 billion tenge (about $520.2 million).







Light industry currently accounts for 0.8% of the country’s
manufacturing sector. More than 60% of the industry structure is
represented by textile production, 32% by clothing manufacturing,
and 6.5% by footwear and leather goods. Over 97% of enterprises in
the sector are small businesses.


According to information, further development of the industry is
expected through deeper processing of cotton and hides, expansion
of synthetic fiber production, and increased output of higher
value-added products.


In 2025, Kazakhstan harvested a record 466,000 tons of cotton.
The country produced 116,100 tons of cotton fiber, 500 tons of
yarn, 5.2 million square meters of fabric, and 28.6 million units
of finished textile products.


The exchange rate used is 499.83 tenge per U.S. dollar, the
official rate of the National Bank of Kazakhstan as of March 5,
2026.