"Our goal is to build a civilized market": An Interview with Mikhail Mishchenko. What Awaits Us at AqAltyn 2025
- Mikhail, why should a farmer or processor attend an industry event today, when all the information can be found online? For instance, on DairyNews.today, we have all the most relevant updates.
Mikhail Mishchenko:
An industry event offers much more than just information. First and foremost, it's about live communication and the opportunity to gain knowledge directly fr om experts, practitioners, and those working in the field, at factories, or in analytics. Online resources are useful, but only at events can you hear the opinions of primary sources and immediately discuss any arising questions.
For me, any event is an expansion of consciousness. You might think you know everything, but at a conference, a fresh idea or a new perspective often appears. The ideas that emerge at such events are ones I've personally implemented in practice multiple times. I'm sure many participants experience the same thing.
DairyNews.today:
You've been following the dairy industry for a long time. Why do you think it’s so hard to establish a dialogue between processors and farmers? Do events like AqAltyn help in this?
Mikhail Mishchenko:
The dairy industry is one of the most conservative, especially processing. Farmers, on the other hand, are forced to be flexible and progressive: they constantly battle with nature, seasonality, and management issues. They implement genetics, technologies, and seek ways to improve efficiency, margins, and, essentially, survival.
Processors, however, often think in inertia: they produce yogurt or kefir according to traditional recipes and aren't particularly ready to change anything. This creates a natural divide. Many processors focus on sales and need a push to step out of their comfort zone. That push comes fr om participating in events—they see pioneers, get new ideas, and gain motivation.
Moreover, there is an objective conflict of interest: a farmer wants to sell milk at a higher price, and the processor wants to buy it cheaper. And milk is not a product you can postpone. It requires quick processing. You can't "turn off" a cow. This makes the market tense.
DairyNews.today:
How do you see the role of events like AqAltyn in this context?
Mikhail Mishchenko:
We want to create a civilized market wh ere the processor is interested in stable and high-quality raw materials, and the farmer is interested in clear selling conditions. There are already good examples. For instance, processors can help farmers purchase feed and equipment—thanks to cooperation and volume, with deferred payments. This works.
Events like AqAltyn provide a platform to establish this mutual understanding. We've already seen how companies that actively participate in our conferences change—and their business grows. In Russia, this led to a powerful breakthrough in the industry. Similar cases are now developing in Kazakhstan.
DairyNews.today:
What makes AqAltyn different fr om other conferences? Why should people attend it?
Mikhail Mishchenko:
First of all, because we organize it (smiles). And that’s not just a joke. We are experts of international level, deeply knowledgeable about the entire industry vertical—from the field to cappuccino. This is not a figure of speech. We understand that the froth on a cup of coffee is influenced by both the choice of feed at the milk supplier and the decision by the processor to use protein concentrate.
At AqAltyn, processors learn not just wh ere to buy milk cheaper, but how to make it better. How to influence its quality. How to build relationships with suppliers. We provide a systemic understanding of the market—not just local but global, with the participation of international experts and case studies fr om various countries.
It’s not just a platform for deals. It's a place wh ere equipment suppliers can understand market needs. Wh ere farmers can think, "Why not start my own processing?" We've seen how processors start building their own farms, and equipment suppliers—build their own plants. Sectors are beginning to infiltrate one another. And it all often starts with dialogue—the first introduction that happens at the conference.
DairyNews.today:
Mikhail, at every industry conference, the key aspects are the speakers and the topics discussed. AqAltyn is no exception. Is there anything special you can already share? What exciting things can participants expect in 2025?
Mikhail Mishchenko:
Honestly, there are no major announcements yet. But I can share the topics that I think absolutely need to be addressed.
DairyNews.today:
Is there a topic that's currently being overlooked but already needs to be discussed? Will it be raised at AqAltyn?
Mikhail Mishchenko:
Yes, of course. The first such topic is understanding the structure of Kazakhstan's dairy market. We’ll try to invite experts in the field of trade to discuss how distribution works—from large retail chains to small retail and the HoReCa segment. This is how products are sold—and it’s a crucial point.
The second block is the situation in the butter and cheese market, especially butter. In Kazakhstan, there is very high consumption of butter, but practically no domestic industrial production. There are several reasons. First, a lack of raw milk—not just a lack, but a catastrophic one. Second, the low fat content of milk, which affects butter yield. Third, the active expansion of plant-based substitutes—palm oil and margarine. These products create price competition, and producers aren't shy about pushing the market.
Should something be done about this? If yes, how? This is a serious question, and in my opinion, it needs to be discussed openly.
Next—subsidies. How and why is the industry subsidized? If subsidies only go to established players, that's one story—and, frankly, it doesn’t work. But if we’re talking about stimulating new participants, about creating conditions for launching new projects—that could work. And that’s what we want to discuss.
Another important topic is new products. What can and should we produce today? And how do we sell these not only within the country but also beyond its borders?
In this context, I’d highlight national products. They have enormous potential, but it’s almost completely unrealized. It’s surprising. For example, we were in Azerbaijan as part of the DairyRally road trip and saw great cases of developing national dairy products. They’re being produced, branded, marketed—and are in high demand. Of course, Turkey plays a role in this, but the Turkish influence is also felt in Kazakhstan.
We have our own products—kurut, kazyik, ayran—but they are typically produced in small batches. I believe Kazakhstan could definitely become a pioneer in industrial production of national products, especially kurut. But we can't just focus on ourselves. We want to invite representatives from Kyrgyzstan to share their experiences—they too are developing national products, and we can learn from each other.
One more major block—food and nutrition security. How will the dairy industry develop over the next 10–20 years, considering that Central Asia is heavily dependent on imports from Russia, Iran, China, and Belarus? Should we increase milk production within the region? Or should we just leave things as they are? And if we need to develop our own, what tools should we use? The question of limiting imports is probably not the right way. In that case, we need to strengthen the local economy in other ways.
Finally, there are technical topics that I’d also like to address. For example, the genetic potential of the herd: what global technologies and innovations exist, and which of these can be applied here? These topics may seem "narrow," but in reality, they lay the foundation for long-term efficiency.
And, of course, we’ll be talking about cooperation with key external partners—Turkey, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, China, India. All these countries influence the Central Asian market, and it’s important to understand how we will interact with them in the future.
DairyNews.today:
Sounds like a packed agenda. Mikhail, thank you for your detailed responses and such an interesting conversation.
Mikhail Mishchenko:Thank you, I’m glad to share. See you at AqAltyn!
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