Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Feb. 24 / Trend D.Azizov /
The total volume of leasing operations in Uzbekistan increased by 7.2 percent up to 430.4 billion soum in 2010 compared to 2009 and the volume of the leasing market grew by 1.2 percent to 1.135 trillion soum, the Uzbekistan Lessors Association (ULA) reported.
In total, Uzbek lessors signed more than 5,500 deals (down 10.9 percent) last year.
Agriculture equipment occupy the main share of the leased property at 28.7 percent, with freight transport at 18.6 percent, real estate at 14.1 percent, irrigation equipment at 9.9 percent and passenger vehicles at 9.5 percent .
The ULA reported that the market was presented by 86 lessors, including 50 leasing companies, 21 banks and 15 companies whose main activity is not leasing.
As of late 2010, the major parties on the leasing market were Uzkishlokhuzhalikmashlizing with deals worth 100.2 billion soum, Uzavtopromlizing with deals worth 95.1 billion soum, Uzmeliomashlizing with deals worth 27 billion soum, Uzbek Leasing International with deals worth 25.6 billion soum and Stroylizing with deals worth 6.5 billion soum.
The list of the most active commercial banks in leasing include GAKB Asaka-m with leasing operations of 63.3 billion soum, Microcredit with operations worth 51.3 billion soums, Public and Commercial People's Bank with deals worth 5.1 billion soum, Aloqabank with deals worth 4.4 billion soum, and Hamkorbank with deals worth 4.1 billion soum.
Uzbekistan has abolished customs duties on importing modern technological equipment for leasing.