News
Measures have been defined to increase the export of fruit and vegetable products.
A video-conference meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took place on November 28, dedicated to measures to increase the production, processing, and export of fruit and vegetable products.Uzbekistan has 3.2 million hectares of irrigated land, which are used for growing food as well as for producing raw materials for industry. In recent years, 260,000 hectares of land previously used for cotton and grain have been allocated for cultivation by the population, and in the future, another 104,000 hectares are planned to be allocated.
This year, food exports increased by $370 million compared to last year, exceeding $2 billion. Uzbekistan ranks third in the world for apricot exports, seventh for cherries and peaches, and tenth for leguminous crops. Cherries alone are exported to 16 countries.
Exports in Karakalpakstan and Jizzakh region increased by 2.2 times, in Khorezm by 1.8 times, and in Surkhandarya by 1.6 times. However, in some regions, changes are minimal. For example, in Kashkadarya, Navoi, and Tashkent regions, despite large land resources, growth indicators do not meet their potential. In Bukhara and Syrdarya regions, exports have even decreased.
There are 5,000 rural mahallas and another 2,000 in cities and district centers, where households have household plots. However, only in 1,000 mahallas were seedlings distributed, and entrepreneurs who buy products were assigned to local residents. In 26 districts, support for such households was not organized, and in some cases, people lost their harvest due to the sale of poor-quality seeds.
To address these issues, employees of the Agency for Quarantine and Plant Protection will be assigned to each mahalla, household, and farm.