President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is currently holding a meeting on the effective use of export opportunities and reserves in Uzbekistan’s textile industry. Officials are discussing measures to extend loan repayment periods for enterprises and expand existing benefits to strengthen the sector.
One of the main topics is increasing exports to developed countries. The president emphasizes the need to boost supplies of ready-made clothing to the United States and European Union, alongside accelerating standardization and digitalization in production. He notes that exports to the American market could grow by five to six times and proposes opening two textile trading houses in New York and St. Louis.
The Agency for Technical Regulation is being tasked with raising the number of enterprises holding international certificates to 300. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will prepare a roadmap for building partnerships with global clothing brands with turnovers above $1bn and invite them to an exhibition in Tashkent.
President Mirziyoyev is also highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in the industry. According to estimates presented at the meeting, AI could increase manufacturers’ income by 20–30%, improve transparency, and reduce the shadow economy. Work is underway on a program for the introduction of ERP systems at textile enterprises, with partial installation costs to be covered by the state budget.
The meeting also addresses the expansion of leading textile exporters. Currently, 55 companies export over $5mn worth of products annually, each employing at least 200 workers, mainly in regional industrial hubs. The Entrepreneurship Development Company plans to provide loans of up to UZS 10bn ($798,896) at the Central Bank rate for opening branches in remote areas, as well as cover salaries of foreign designers, technologists, and marketers.
To participate in the program, companies must employ at least 200 workers in one branch and ensure stable wages. By the end of this year, the plan is to open new sewing factories in 20 districts, with another 30 districts to follow in 2026.
Earlier, President Mirziyoyev announced an “urgent 100 days” program following consultations with over 200 entrepreneurs. The move comes as Uzbekistan’s textile sector, which launched 396 large enterprises worth $3.5bn over the past five years—boosting production to $10bn and creating more than 500,000 jobs—faces a slowdown in output and exports.
The president criticized the lack of proactive planning, warned against speculative activities by companies lacking fiber processing capacity, and highlighted the sector’s $2.2bn debt burden, low international certification rates, and regional imbalances in raw material supply.
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