Kazakhstan is planning to invest over $9 billion in chemical industry in the period from 2009 to 2015, said Kazakh Industry and Trade Minister Vladimir Shkolnik.

"The total sum of the projected investments in the chemical sector is over $9 billion," he told the Cabinet in Astana on Tuesday.

The funds will be invested in different projects under the Chemical Industry Development Plan for 2009-2015.

"The goals set until 2015 include: starting up production of mineral fertilizers with the capacity of 4 million tons a year; creating more jobs in the south, rising the status of the science degrees and boosting investments in chemical scientific research," said Shkolnik.

Currently six companies submitted their business proposals for 9 projects within the framework of the program. Among them are Kazphosphate, Kazazot, Caustic, Mineral Resource Mining Company and Eurokhim Mineral Fertilizers.