OREANDA-NEWS. December 21, 2009. The EBRD is providing US2.7 million loan to Altyn Aylag, a private brewery operating in Turkmenistan, to support company’s drive to expand production capacity, reported the press-centre of EBRD.

Altyn Aylag is one of the leading beer producers in the country. The company aims to increase its production volumes in order to meet the existing demand for competitively priced beer.

The proceeds of the EBRD loan will finance Altyn Aylag’s expansion project, which includes construction of a new brewery, purchase of packaging equipment and additional delivery trucks.

This project will help Altyn Aylag to more than double its current production capacity from 16,000 litres per day to more than 36,000 litres. Additionally, Altyn Aylag will widen the variety and tastes of produced beer using the latest production and technology.

The brewery is also benefiting from the EBRD TurnAround Management Programme with experts working on marketing, brewing and the introduction of a new accountancy system.

“This project reinforces the EBRD’s commitment to invest in the development of private businesses in Turkmenistan. We are pleased to support Altyn Aylag’s growth strategy – expanding the market by substituting quality local product for expensive imports.”, said Masaru Honma, EBRD Director for Central Asia.

“Cooperation with EBRD has given us given us a clear achievable business plan backed by investment in the latest technology,” said Mergen Altymukhammedov, CEO of Altyn Aylak.

Since the beginning of its operations in Turkmenistan the EBRD has invested EUR106 million in the country’s corporate, energy, infrastructure and financial sectors, mobilising additional investments worth close to EUR 390 million.

To date the EBRD has invested more than EUR 5 billion in over 360 agribusiness projects in countries of its operations.