This year, despite the challenges posed by global climate change, resource shortages, and population growth, Uzbekistan produced 9mn tons of grain, over 3mn tons of cotton, 16mn tons of vegetables and melons, 5mn tons of fruits and grapes, 4mn tons of potatoes, and more than 15mn tons of meat and milk. Additionally, 343 food industry projects have been launched.
The president of Uzbekistan was briefed on the state of the food industry and the plans for 2025, emphasizing the need to ensure food security and address the growing demands of the population. Local food production, including bread, milk, meat, vegetable oil, confectionery, and soft drinks, is seen as an area for further development.
Uzbekistan's confectionery exports have grown fourfold in recent years, reaching $13mn. This increase is attributed to cost reductions from direct imports of raw materials and packaging. However, these benefits are set to expire in 2025, prompting discussions on extending the support measures for another two years to ensure continued competitiveness.
In the oil and fat sector, 408 new enterprises have been opened. Despite the raw material shortage, authorities anticipate that allowing oil and fat exports could increase production by 120,000 tons and generate an additional 240,000 tons of animal feed.
The growth of halal-certified meat producers is also notable, with exports to regional and Arab countries on the rise. However, Uzbekistan’s standard for the shelf life of sausage products is currently only 3 months, which limits their export potential. Extending this shelf life to 4–12 months, as is the norm in Europe, could potentially double production and exports. Efforts are underway to align local standards with international regulations.
There are also plans to expand dairy production and establish laboratories in Namangan, Samarkand, and Tashkent to analyze milk quality. These measures will help identify whether products are made from natural or powdered milk, offering greater transparency to consumers.
Uzbekistan has also seen growth in the production of soft drinks and fruit juices. Exports in this sector have surged ninefold over the past five years, reaching $35mn. However, the imposition of customs duties on tropical fruit concentrates has hindered competitiveness. A proposal has been made to exempt these concentrates from customs duties to boost production.
Under the "From Poverty to Prosperity" program, the country has strengthened its cooperation with entrepreneurs. The President has instructed officials to further improve the quality and scope of these efforts in the coming year to ensure sustainable development and food security.
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