Third Fruit-And-Berry Festival Held in Issyk-Kul

published: 13 August 2015

The third Karagat Fruit-and-Berry Festival was held in the village of Tiup Issyk-Kul province last weekend. The Festival was held for the third time as part of the Karagat + Project implemented by the AVEP public fund with the financial support of Kumtor Gold Company.
This year’s Festival was attended by the KR Minister of Agriculture, the government’s special envoy in the Issyk-Kul province, head of the Tiup district administration and about 3,000 residents of 30 Issyk-Kul villages.

The Festival guests could enjoy various fruit, berries, jams and stewed fruit and also learn more about effective fruit production technologies, visit equipment displays, consult farming experts and watch components of the Karagat + Program with their own eyes. A hothouse and a trickle irrigation system were arranged for visitors, and farmers could get information about fruit storage facilities and nursery gardens existing across the province. Moreover, anyone was free to visit the Kumtor Gold Company’s information desk where company employees discussed Issyk-Kul development projects and distributed handouts describing Kumtor’s activities.

A memorandum signed between farmers and large processors on shipments of 100 tonnes of Issyk-Kul fruit and berries became a significant result of the Festival.

“To begin with, Karagat + is a cooperation project that has brought together a lot of people. Interested in it are both Issyk-Kulers themselves and local officials who demonstrate high awareness of even small details of the program. This is a new experience for the farmers who have learned more about new farming technologies, acquired new skills in the hothouse and nursery gardening business. We are here today to congratulate each other upon the successful implementation of the project, to discuss the results of the three-year efforts and hear the opinion of Festival participants. I am sure the program was useful to province residents,” said Rodney Stuparyk, Vice President, Risk Management, Compliance and Sustainable Development, KGC.