Livestock Deaths Reported in Turkistan Region Amid Drought

Cattle are dying in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region due to severe drought, Orda.kz reports.

Farmers are struggling with rising hay prices, dried-out pastures, and a lack of support from local authorities.

According to Almaty.tv, dozens of animals have already died, and those that remain are severely undernourished. Farmers say there is no viable feed left, as pastures have been scorched by the sun, destroyed by locusts, or grazed by livestock from nearby villages.

Our cattle have become very thin. We can't even use them for meat. Ten sheep have died from each house. We can't sell anything. It's only the first month of summer. What will happen next?
 said farmer Mirali Taskulov.

Hay prices have surged, prompting demands for state-subsidized feed and access to new grazing areas. However, the district Akimat has stated there is no legal basis to declare an emergency, meaning farmers will not receive compensation.

Compensation is only due when a state of emergency is declared. However, since this situation does not fall under this category, there will be no compensation. Since certain conditions must be met,
 explained Omirserik Altynbayev, acting head of the Keles district agriculture department.

The drought is also affecting crops. About 10% of cultivated fields in the region have already been declared unfit for harvest. Local authorities have yet to present any effective measures to address the situation.

Earlier, farmers in the Almaty region faced similar challenges due to extreme heat and a lack of irrigation water.

Original Author: Alina Pak