29.03.2024, Friday

Shavkat Mirziyoyev chairs a meeting on the priorities of agriculture and water management for 2021

On February 24, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference to discuss the priorities of agriculture and water management for the current year.

Agriculture is one of the main sources of enhancing the country's export potential, increasing jobs and incomes. Therefore, many documents have been adopted in this area, and the necessary conditions have been created. Mechanisms of financial support for the development of horticulture, viticulture, vegetable growing, rice growing, animal husbandry, agricultural enterprises and introduction of water-saving technologies have been established.

The state has set a goal to increase the income from each hectare to $5 thousand this year due to the rational placement and scientifically based cultivation of crops.

“A sharp increase in crop yields and rational use of water should become priorities in the field”, the Head of the state noted.

It was noted that for this purpose it is necessary to place crops taking into account the specifics of each district, historically established forms and methods of agriculture, based on the possibilities of water supply. For example, the cotton yield is 12 centners per hectare in some farms of Mirzaabad district. However, the profitability of growing and processing pomegranates was revealed while studying the specialization of local mahallas.


Farish and Ellikqal’a districts can grow wine grapes. It is possible to get a good income from garlic, grow thousand of tons of export-oriented grapes a year in Buloqboshi district by allocating preferential loans to households.

“Starting March 1 this year, the term of loans allocated under family business programs for orchards, vineyards and greenhouses will be increased from 3 to 7 years and the grace period – from 1 to 3 years. This is the desire of people, the opportunity for change”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The importance of the entry into circulation of rain-fed and pasture land to create permanent and seasonal jobs was noted.

As is known, under the tasks aimed at ensuring the employment of young people, unemployed citizens were provided land from 10 to 50 acres. Responsible persons were instructed to allocate land near the places of residence of the population and to assist in supplying seeds, fertilizers and equipment.

It was noted that this year it is necessary to provide agricultural enterprises with 702 thousand tons of seeds and 105 million seedlings.

However, the lack of a system in this area creates difficulties for both population and exporters. The quality of varieties, maturation time of products do not allow them to occupy a leading position in foreign markets.

In this regard, the Research Institute of Horticulture, Viticulture and Winemaking named after Mirzayev of the National Center for Knowledge and Innovation of Agriculture and its research and experimental stations will organize the harvesting of high-yielding, export-oriented fruit and grape seedlings based on public-private partnership. For this purpose, intensive nurseries will be created on an area of at least 100 hectares in each region under the soil and climatic conditions. Up to 20 percent of its cost will be compensated by the state while buying seeds and seedlings from local seed farms.

Besides, a procedure will be introduced to reimburse part of the cost of building lemon greenhouses that use energy from alternative sources.

The activities of the cotton and textile cluster were also considered at the meeting. 

“A cluster is a search and innovation. If the clusters work, thinking of the future, it will be able to bring high-value-added products to the market and be competitive. It is necessary to study foreign experience, increase productivity and reduce production costs”, the President said.

The Head of the state always sets a task, first of all, addresses the financing issue. This year, 24 trillion UZS is allocated to the Fund of Agriculture for stable provision of the agricultural sector with financial resources. At the same time, for the first time, it is planned to allocate 300 billion UZS for issuing loans for growing vegetables at the base rate of the Central Bank.

Additional resources are required for lending to grain and cotton growing, cotton-textile clusters and cooperatives.

In this regard, today the President signed a resolution on improving the activities of the Fund for Agriculture and the system of state financial support for manufacturers. The essence and significance of the implementation of this document were discussed at the meeting.

The Head of the state focused on the development of science and information technologies in the agricultural sector. He noted the need for studying the experience of the United States in growing melons and vegetables, the United Kingdom – in fruit harvesting, Austria – in grain production, the Netherlands – in plant protection, Germany – in plant nutrition and cell biology, and attracting experts from these countries.

The post of Deputy Minister of Agriculture for the Development of Information Technologies is being introduced and a separate structure is being created. This structure is instructed to create an information system by the end of the year, which will monitor 3 million hectares of irrigated land, with a database on the composition of soil and crops. $10 million from international financial institutions will be allocated for this purpose.

At the same time, the task was set to create an Agricultural Services Center in Tashkent region’s Yuqorichirchiq district.

The issues of the economic use of water were also discussed at the meeting.

It is expected that during the irrigation season this year, the water supply will be 25 percent less than normal. Therefore, the prevention of wasteful use of water is a vital necessity.

In particular, it is indicated that it is possible to save 3 billion cubic meters of water through the introduction of water-saving technologies on 430 thousand hectares.

This, in turn, increases the demand for water-saving technologies and equipment. According to preliminary estimates, in February-April this year, 35-40 thousand tons of polyethylene will be required for the production of drip irrigation systems and pipes. In this regard, until October 1, the duty on the import of polyethylene and polypropylene, necessary for water-saving technologies, was canceled.

The Ministry of Water Resources was instructed to repair and update 3 thousand pumps, as well as to introduce an online monitoring system for electricity and water consumption at pumping stations.

Measures for the development of animal husbandry, poultry and fish farming were also considered at the meeting.

It was noted that starting July 1 this year, livestock, poultry, rabbit and fish farms that do not have arrears in value-added tax will be allocated subsidies for manufactured products.

Besides, livestock enterprises will be granted benefits while importing raw materials and technologies. The procedure for insurance against mortality in fish and poultry farming will be developed.

The issue of feed supply is of urgent importance in animal husbandry. It is planned to allocate newly developed land for livestock complexes, grow forage crops on 28 thousand hectares of rainfed areas and pastures, as well as on 173 thousand hectares of land released from main crops.

Attention was also paid to training qualified personnel in agriculture.

Deputy Prime Ministers, ministers, hokims, heads of agricultural sectors provided information on the issues discussed at the meeting.