Topical issues in agriculture were discussed

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting on January 23 to support the cotton industry.

To date, cotton and textile clusters have invested $ 5 billion 300 million in the industry, they have been allocated $ 3 billion in preferential loans. Clusters have launched 265 projects worth $ 4 billion and created 300 thousand new jobs. As a result, the yield of cotton increased by 30 percent - from 26 to 34 quintals per hectare.

At the same time, there are problems on the ground that complicate the activities of clusters and farmers. Among them, the accrual of penalties to farms on debts incurred as a result of non-payment of value-added tax in due time.

7 thousand farmers are forced to irrigate cotton fields with pumps. There is no deadline for concluding futures contracts, there is no transparent system for registering contracts.

These and other problems in the sphere were discussed at the meeting, the necessary measures to solve them were identified.

In particular, it was noted that the practice of compensating 50 percent of the cost of electricity consumed for irrigation of cotton fields by pumps will be introduced.

Last year, the price of mineral fertilizers in the domestic market increased by 50 percent, which caused a shortage of them. In this regard, it is proposed to extend the customs privileges for mineral fertilizers for another 3 years.

Responsible persons are instructed to streamline contracts and settle settlements between clusters and farmers, coordinate the cultivation of cotton and grain. It is determined that the penalties accrued to farms for non-payment of VAT at one time, as an exception, will be written off.

The task is to establish the registration of futures contracts in the electronic information system of tax authorities and integrate it with the Agroplatform information system Ministry of Agriculture. From now on, the average monthly futures quotes of the New York Stock Exchange will be published on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The necessity of localization by domestic scientific institutes in the field of cotton growing of high-yielding and undemanding cotton varieties used abroad is emphasized.

The meeting also touched upon the challenges facing agriculture in the current year.

In particular, plans were noted to launch 600 projects worth $ 400 million, create an additional 185 thousand tons of storage and processing facilities, as well as agricultural service centers in 33 districts.

The sericulture industry produces products worth more than 3 trillion soums and exports goods worth almost $ 110 million. However, the potential of the industry has not been exhausted. In this regard, the Committee for the Development of Sericulture and the Wool Industry was instructed to ensure the harvesting of 26 thousand tons of cocoons, 1.3 million pieces of astrakhan leather and 40 thousand tons of wool this year.

It is planned to introduce water-saving technologies on 300 thousand hectares and laser leveling of 200 thousand hectares. The plans include the distribution of 100 thousand hectares of cultivated land and the provision of employment for more than 2 million people due to this. The importance of these measures for saturation with the main types of food products and ensuring price stability in the markets was emphasized. 

There is also a great need in our country for top and middle-level specialists for the food industry. In this regard, the proposal to create a new institute for the training of such personnel based on the experience of foreign countries was approved.