TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, June 20. Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya region is a sleeping giant, brimming with untapped economic potential worth at least $15 billion, Trend reports, citing the Uzbek President’s Office.
Even realizing just one-third of this potential could raise the region’s gross regional product (GRP) to $10 billion within the next five years.
This was announced during a meeting on the socio-economic development of the Kashkadarya region, chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Historically, more than half of Kashkadarya’s industrial output was dominated by the oil, gas, and chemical sectors. However, in recent years, the region has experienced a transformative shift, with significant growth in electrical engineering, construction materials manufacturing, textile production, and the furniture industry. These sectors now account for 54 percent of the region’s industrial output.
President Mirziyoyev highlighted further opportunities for comprehensive regional development, with the greatest potential found in agriculture. The region has 515,000 hectares of irrigated land and 45,000 hectares of household plots and orchards—both the highest figures in Uzbekistan.
Additionally, Kashkadarya possesses approximately 1.3 million hectares of pasture and forest land. To optimize the use of these resources, a special joint-stock company will be established, backed by targeted investments. This company will be overseen by a supervisory board chaired by the prime minister. An initial $100 million will be allocated to the initiative, aimed at laser leveling at least 200,000 hectares of pasture and forest land within two years, along with the implementation of advanced water-saving technologies.
A comprehensive livestock development program will also be launched. Through the Agricultural Fund, preferential loans with terms of up to 12 months at an annual interest rate of 14 percent will be provided, enabling 127 farms in the region to operate at full capacity. Additional financial support will also be made available to livestock producers.
Since the commencement of the fiscal year, the export volume of
horticultural and agronomic products from Kashkadarya has
experienced a twofold increase, attaining a valuation of $62
million. The area is notably distinguished for its Kukdala
watermelons, and there exists analogous export viability for
tomatoes. Consequently, the expansion of industrial tomato agronomy
will be implemented over an expanse of 6,000 hectares distributed
across 13 distinct districts.
In order to bolster the agronomic sector of tuber cultivation,
preferential financing mechanisms will be made available, featuring
a temporal framework of up to 12 months, accompanied by an
annualized interest rate set at 10 percent. Import tariffs on
essential apparatus will be abrogated, and 50 percent of the
value-added tax on premium seed acquisitions will be refunded.
This strategic initiative represents a pivotal maneuver to enhance
the economic diversification and resilience of Kashkadarya,
catalyzing sustainable development and elevating the quality of
life for its inhabitants.
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