LocationsAuthor: Iroda Muminova
Turning Tomatoes into Opportunity: Abdulla Allambergenov’s entrepreneurial journey
April 10, 2025
Abdulla Allambergenov near his factory
Photo: Iroda Muminova
Abdulla Allambergenov, born in 1998 in the Nukus District, and had a passion for entrepreneurship from a young age. While his friends were playing outside, Abdulla was already thinking about ways to bring additional income to his family. He would create business plans in his mind and imagine all sorts of ways to make money.
At the age of 25, his passion for the change and business inspired him to start his own enterprise. In 2023, after graduating the Faculty of Applied Psychology at Samarkand State University, he fully immersed in the world of entrepreneurship.
During his student years, Abdulla worked at various companies to earn extra income. One of his first jobs was at a chickpea processing company, where he worked as an intern for 1.5 years. It was there that he developed a keen interest in entrepreneurship. At the same company, he eventually rose to the position of manager, and that is when he made a dramatic career shift—from a psychologist to an entrepreneur.
Abdulla Allambergenov at his office
Photo: Iroda Muminova
“Initially, I was interested in psychology, but later I realized that entrepreneurship was truly what I had been dreaming of. However, currently I understand that my university years were not wasted, as psychology is one of the most important fields for us entrepreneurs”,Abdulla reflects.
After graduation, Abdulla returned to Karakalpakstan with big dreams, full of ideas, enthusiasm, and motivation. His goal was clear—he wanted to start his own manufacturing business.
“We have plenty of local agricultural products, and I decided to create a finished product which is ready for export. This was the main goal that brought me back home”,Abdulla recalls.
Upon returning to Karakalpakstan, his first step was joining the company "Biogumus Farm," which specializes in growing and exporting agricultural products. This experience became a pivotal moment, inspiring him to start his own business.
“During my time there, we grew tomatoes and sold them on the market. However, I was looking for a way to process the product and generate even more profit—and I finally found it. With my tomato paste production project, I participated in a competition organized by the UNDP initiative “One Village - One Product” and my project won. Now, I have equipment capable of producing 100 kg of tomato paste per hour and have employed 10 locals in the Nukus district”,Abdulla proudly shares.
“The reason I chose to produce tomato paste is that it’s a product used in every home. After analyzing the market, I realized that while tomato farming is well-established in Karakalpakstan, there were no factories producing tomato paste. Moreover, the local population mostly uses imported products from Russia and Kazakhstan. I understood that rather than importing, it would be better to increase exports, which would benefit not only my business but also the economy of our country as a whole. This is why I decided to start my business in this direction”,Abdulla explains.
“Success is not just about making a profit”, Abdulla adds, “It’s also important to consider the business’s impact on people’s health, the local economy, and the environment”.
The tomato paste produced by Abdulla Allambergenov is fully organic and natural. No chemicals are added to it. This is why we can confidently say that Abdulla is contributing not only to entrepreneurship but also to improving public health and the well-being of society as a whole. Furthermore, the tomato seeds are imported from Italy and grown locally. After harvesting, they are processed into high-quality tomato paste.
"Aqmangit" tomato paste
Photo: Iroda Muminova
“Based on the capabilities of our equipment, in the upcoming summer season, we plan to process no less than 50-60 tons of tomatoes and deliver our product to 14 districts of Karakalpakstan. In the next phase, we aim to expand our business, selling tomato paste throughout Uzbekistan and eventually entering the global market”,Abdulla says.
We hope shortly, Abdulla’s “Aqmang‘it” tomato paste will be available in local markets, grocery stores, and even regional distributors. Abdulla Allambergenov’s story can serve as an inspiration not only for young entrepreneurs, but for anyone who believes in their ideas and strives for greater achievements, taking small yet confident steps. Starting his journey with small trading ventures as a young man, he has achieved success through hard work, perseverance, and a passion for innovation.
About the project: The UNDP Project “The Project for Supporting Self-reliance through Climate-resilient Agriculture in the Aral Sea Region” is financed by the government of Japan and being implemented 2023-2025 and contribute to addressing multiple human insecurities of people, living in the most vulnerable districts of Karakalpakstan, which are fully aligned with the policies and strategies of the Government of Uzbekistan on addressing the Aral Sea crises. “The “One Village - One Product” initiative involved 20 participants, 12 of whom became winners and received financial support by the project.
