On November 20, a meeting devoted to the implementation of tasks on saturating the domestic market with agricultural products, especially in the coming winter/spring period, deepening the level of its processing and production of ready-made food products, expanding the volume of export supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as formation of the state order for the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetables, potatoes, melons and grapes for 2018 was held under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The meeting was attended by members of the government, heads of ministries, departments and economic associations responsible for fulfilling the state order for agricultural products. 

A number of measures aimed at expanding the areas for cultivating crops in demand on the domestic and foreign markets, increasing the volume of fruit and vegetable processing, stimulating producers in order to increase the export of fruit and vegetable products are being implemented under the leadership of the President of our country. 

The system of the state order for the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetable products was introduced in order to store it for sustainable saturation of the domestic consumer market in winter/spring period, as well as to meet the needs of domestic food industry enterprises. 

In the current year, the volumes of areas released from grain crops have been significantly expanded, for repeated crops of the most popular types of agricultural products. About 65 thousand tons of products grown on repeated crops were exported only in September/October, which is 1,4 times more than the indicators of the same period of the last year. 

In general, fruit and vegetable products have been delivered to 54 countries since the beginning of the year, new markets have been developed in countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, Syria, Taiwan, Jordan, Macedonia and others. 

The Republican commission for monitoring and controlling prices for the main types of socially significant food products have been established in order to prevent seasonal fluctuations in prices in the domestic consumer market on fruit and vegetable products. Measures have been taken on saturating the market with products on which there had been a deficit and high prices, due to its import. In the context of the regions, the parameters for the stowage of the main types of agricultural products for the forthcoming winter/spring period in the amount of more than 490 thousand tons were approved. 

The Head of our state noted that it is necessary to ensure the abundance of selective vegetables and fruits, qualitative food products at stable prices in winter/spring period. 

Along with the implemented positive activity, the fact that activities on timely stowage of agricultural products for the forthcoming winter/spring period do not meet the proper requirements in a number of regions, has been criticized. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the President’s instructions related to the city of Tashkent, Bukhara, Namangan and Sirdarya regions. 

On the basis of concrete figures and facts, the unacceptably low activity of commercial banks in the process of stowage of agricultural products, especially in Tashkent, Namangan, Sirdarya and Samarkand regions was noted. 

Taking this into account, specific instructions were given on ensuring the additional 330 thousand tons of agricultural products by the end of November for implementation in the forthcoming winter/spring period at affordable prices. The main responsibility for this is assigned to the leadership of “Uzbekozikovkatzakhira” association, taking into account its reorganization conducted in October this year and additional privileges, preferences and opportunities provided to its constituent organizations. 

At the same time, commercial banks were recommended to significantly increase the volume of concessional lending resources for procurement of agricultural products by farmers in dehkan and private subsidiary farms. 

At the meeting, particular attention was paid to insufficient use of reserves and use of presented opportunities for expanding the export of fresh fruit and vegetable products, taking into account measures taken on increasing the volume of re-sowing of agricultural crops. 

The President of our country pointed to the specific shortcomings in activities of the heads of “Uzbekozikovkatholding” holding company and “Uzagroexport” JSC in terms of assisting farms in expanding the volumes and range of exported products. Insufficient work in this direction in Tashkent, Kashkadarya, Namangan regions, as well as in the Republic of Karakalpakstan was criticized. At the same time, special attention was paid to the activities of khokims of 66 districts specialized in growing fruits and vegetables. 

In order to create necessary conditions for further expansion of the country’s export potential and increasing the supply of fresh fruit and vegetable products to foreign markets, Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed the government to develop a Program on creating large logistic centers in the regions with attraction of financial resources of the Agency for restructuring agricultural enterprises in the amount of up to 200 million dollars, in cooperation with “Uzbekozikovkatholding” HC, the Central Bank and commercial banks, within 10 days. Attention was paid to the fact that these logistics centers must comply with modern standards and have all the necessary conditions for the stowage, storage, processing, packaging, transportation and export of fruit and vegetable products. 

At the meeting, main attention was paid to issues related to forming the parameters of the state order for the purchase and use of fresh fruit and vegetable products, potatoes, melons and grapes for 2018. The preparatory work in this direction and the main parameters of the state order were discussed. 

The President of our country gave instructions on development, in the context of each region, targeted measures on ensuring the fulfillment of the state order for 2018, with definition of specific stages, deadlines and responsible executors. Particular attention was paid to the need of ensuring a balanced supply of fruit and vegetable products to the domestic market and for export in order to avoid fluctuations in prices and deficits in the domestic consumer market, especially in the winter/spring period. 

At the meeting, responsible officials of relevant departments, khokims of all districts and regions were given specific instructions to meet the population’s demand for such essential daily consumption products as sugar, eggs, fish, meat and butter, and their supply at stable prices. 

The need for implementation of systemic control and monitoring the process of implementation of measures on ensuring unconditional fulfillment of parameters of the state order for the purchase and use of fresh fruit and vegetables, potatoes, melons and grapes was emphasized.