Licorice root, growing on the banks of the Amy Derya River, is one of our national treasures growing on Turkmen soil. As is known, the root of the plant has been widely used since ancient times in folk medicine and in the modern healthcare system as a remedy, as well as in the production of confectionery and cosmetics.

The collection, processing and export of licorice root to the domestic markets of the country, as well as to foreign countries, is carried out by the «Buyan» agro-industrial complex of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan located in Turkmenabat.

Every year, the company produces about 19 thousand tons of licorice syrup. The product is then processed in a factory and a purified product is prepared - a plant root extract. Products produced at the enterprise are in great demand on the world market and are exported to countries such as China, Türkiye, the UAE and Serbia. At the same time, work is being carried out to establish the production of new, important and more popular types of products obtained from the root of the plant.

Currently, in accordance with the decree signed by the President of Turkmenistan on the 14th of January, 2022, a plant for the production of glycyrrhizic acid obtained from licorice roots is being built in the 2nd industrial zone of the city of Turkmenabat. The construction of a new modern plant and the improvement of its surroundings was entrusted to the builders of the private enterprise «Mizemez gadam». Construction of the plant began in January 2022 and is now in its final stages.

The enterprise includes, in addition to the production workshop and administrative premises, buildings for work and rest of specialists, a warehouse for storing raw materials, materials, a canteen and a sports ground.

It should also be noted that innovative materials are widely used in construction. For example, a certain part of buildings is made of composite materials. They are distinguished by light weight and strength. Also, instead of conventional concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete is used in construction. Instead of steel reinforcement, fiberglass is used to give the concrete strength.

Equipment for processing the root and producing glycyrrhizic acid produced by the Italian company «Adipson». According to the company’s representative in Lebap velayat, Kerim Akmyradov, in addition to Italy, the equipment is assembled by specialists from Serbia and Egypt. Currently, installation and commissioning of equipment is underway. In addition to foreign specialists, representatives of the private enterprise «Türkmen ýyldyzy» also work here. They are responsible for supplying the enterprise with electricity. It is planned to train specialists in Italy and Serbia who will subsequently work at this modern enterprise.

After commissioning, the enterprise, which is part of the «Türkmendermansenagat» association of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, will be able to produce 390 tons of valuable product per year.