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Uzbekistan and Japan plan to expand agri-food cooperation
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The “Forum on the development of the food industry of Uzbekistan and Japan” was held in Tashkent. The forum was organized jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan and the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan.Government officials and representatives of business circles from both countries took part in the forum. During the event, participants discussed new opportunities for mutual development and cooperation in agriculture and the food industry.
Since 2015, Japan and Uzbekistan have been seeking to expand cooperation in the agricultural and food sectors, when a memorandum of understanding was signed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Agriculture remains the cornerstone of Uzbekistan's economy, accounting for 24.3% of GDP in 2023. This sector also continues to show strong growth. According to the Statistics Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in 2023 the volume of agricultural production increased by 4.1%, forestry - by 2.7%, and fisheries - by 7.4%. This compares to growth rates of 3.6%, 2.7% and 1.7% in 2022, respectively.
While agriculture makes up a small portion of Japan's total economic output, the country boasts a highly developed agri-food sector. With only 20% of the country's land suitable for farming, Japan has developed world-leading crop production technologies and techniques to increase crop yields while improving efficiency and sustainability.
Representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture of Japan and Uzbekistan, Mr. Mizuno Masayoshi and Mr. Jamoliddin Babakhanov, delivered welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony. They were joined by Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Shokhrukh Gulamov and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Uzbekistan Takashi Hatori.
Representatives of the Japanese government and business presented Japanese agricultural technologies and discussed the potential for introducing these technologies in Uzbekistan. Japanese partners are interested in providing high-quality, innovative seeds for Uzbek farmers.
During the discussions, Uzbekistan government and business representatives highlighted recent advances in the country's agricultural practices, especially in the development of aquaculture and organic agriculture. These achievements are helping Uzbekistan attract additional foreign investment and technology transfer. Japan is a key partner for the further development of the sector.
In parallel with the forum, a special exhibition of Japanese cuisine was held, branded as “cuisine of long-lived people”, giving participants the opportunity to try food products from Japan, including short grain rice, shrimp and green tea. The food exhibition brought the world famous food culture of Japan to Tashkent.