Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 18
By Demir Azizov - Trend:
Starting from Jan. 1, 2015, Uzbekistan will increase the rate of excise duty on the alcoholic beverages, pure alcohol (spirit) and beer manufactured in the country.
The new excise duty rates were approved by a decree of Uzbekistan's president "On the forecast of key macroeconomic indicators and parameters of the 2015 state budget of Uzbekistan".
Under the decree, the excise duty on ethyl alcohol will rise by 15 percent up to 4,183 UZS (about $1.73 as of Dec. 18) per one decaliter (one decaliter equal to 10 liters), cognac, vodka and other strong alcoholic beverages - by 15 percent up to 37,605 UZS per one decaliter of the finished product.
The excise duty on natural wines will increase by five percent up to 5,767 UZS, on fortified wines - by 10 percent up to 7,246 UZS, on beer - by 15 percent up to 4,106 UZS per decaliter of the finished product.
According to the official stats, in 2013 Uzbekistan increased the potable ethanol production by 7.8 percent up to 6.507 million decaliters versus the same period of 2012, the vodka and liquors production was increased by 5.8 percent (up to 13.402 million decaliters), cognac - by 18.3 percent (up to 126,400 decaliters), beer - by 4.9 percent (up to 19.224 million decaliters).
Wine production in the country in this period fell by 0.6 percent to 2.238 million decaliters, while the champagne production remained at the level of 2012, that is, at 127.5 thousand decaliters.
However, the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan didn't reveal the data on the production of this product in 2014.
Edited by SI