As in all sectors of the economy of Uzbekistan, important reforms are being implemented in the sphere of agriculture. Strengthening the material and technical base, provision of machine and tractor parks with modern machinery and units have an important place in receiving a high-quality and rich crop yields, accelerated development of the industry. 

To this end, the system of agricultural machine building was reorganized in accordance with the resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures of organizing activities of JSC “Uzagrotechsanoatholding” of November 17, 2016. 

Joint stock companies “Uzagrotechsanoatholding” and in its system – “Uzagrotechmash”, “Uzagroleasing” and “Uzagroservis”, specializing in production, leasing, service in agricultural machinery and rendering services, were organized for improving the technical base of the industry. The maturity debt of machine and tractor parks to the budget was postponed for 2 years.

A lease term for farmers of Jizzakh, Syrdarya, Tashkent and Namangan regions has been increased from 10 to 12 years, for machine and tractor parks – from 7 to 10 years. Farmers and machine-tractor parks have been granted loans for purchasing agricultural machinery with a preferential rate of 5 percent. 

As a result of measures taken in 2017, the output of agricultural machinery and leasing services increased 1.7 times, mechanized services – 2.5 times. 

At the meeting devoted to the analysis of effectiveness of the ongoing work on development of agricultural machinery, shortcomings were severely criticized in production of agricultural machinery, service, optimization of imports and expansion of exports, the fact that the agricultural sector is provided with machinery by 85 percent, a certain part of the park is outdated and measures for its renovation are not taken in a timely manner. Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of “Uzagrotechsanoatholding” N.Otajonov was reprimanded for lack of control over the execution of assigned tasks. Deputies of the Chairman of the Board of “Uzagrotechsanoatholding” JSC – the General Director of “Uzagroservice” JSC R.Akhmedov and the General Director of “Uzagroleasing” JSC H.Imamov, as well as the Head of the Information and Analytical Department of the Cabinet of Ministers A.Rafikov were relieved from their posts for shortcomings in activities. 

With a total agricultural demand for more than 172 thousand units of equipment, today the park has 146 thousand units, thus there is a shortage of 26 thousand units of equipment. 

Provision of farms with high-performance tractors is 75 percent, with combine harvesters – 86, cotton harvesters – 28, cotton seeders – 60, and grain sowers – 25 percent. Taking into account the lack and outdated technology, there is a need for a total of 82 thousand units of new agricultural machinery. 

This year, it is planned to deliver 16 thousand units, including in the first half-year – 5.8 thousand units of equipment on the basis of loans.

At the meeting that was held on March 14, under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the ministries of finance and agriculture were given instructions on development of a program for production and delivery of agricultural machinery in 2018-2021 within two months, providing for measures on financing the delivery of equipment to customers in order to fully meet the demand for agricultural machinery of JSC “Uzagrotechsanoatholding”. 

The Head of the state drew attention to the fact that, when very little time remained before the spring field works on cotton growing, gardening and viticulture, only 1.2 thousand of the required 5.8 thousand units of equipment were delivered to farmers and machine-tractor parks. At the same time, Syrdarya, Jizzakh and Tashkent regions received only 30 percent out of the additional 4 thousand units of equipment allocated to them. 

– These days, when modern technology is needed as air and water, the need is provided by only 25 percent, – the President said. – Technology is hands and wings of a farmer. Only by fully meeting the needs in it, one can increase material interest, drastically reduce unnecessary costs. 

In this connection, instruction was given on establishing daily monitoring of delivery of equipment for carrying out spring agrotechnical activities and providing information on the results, until April 15 of this year. 

– However, a certain part of components and materials are imported from abroad by machine-building enterprises, agricultural machinery is produced on the basis of large-component assembly. Imported tractors, plows, seeders and other equipment are cheaper of those produced in our country, – said the Head of the state.

At a recent meeting under the chairmanship of the President on import issues, instructions were given on reducing import of agricultural machinery in 2018 by $160 million. 

In this regard, “Uzagrotechsanoatholding” and the mechanical plant “Uzagrotechmash” were instructed to develop and ensure implementation of a separate program on bringing localization in production of agricultural machinery up to 45 percent by organizing production of transmissions, various housing parts and aggregates, within a month. 

The Head of the state, at the meeting held on March 14, particularly touched upon the issue of financing in 2018 the delivery of 16 thousand units of agricultural machinery for a total amount of 3.2 trillion sums based on leasing and loans. 

Currently, the Ministry of Finance allocated 1.5 trillion sums for supplying 5.8 thousand units of equipment. The need was indicated for allocating 1.7 trillion sums and, in particular, determining the financing sources for equipment delivery for 1.5 trillion sums on a leasing basis.

Agricultural machinery export is an important task. Unsatisfactory measures taken in this direction were noted at the meeting devoted to the analysis of effectiveness of the ongoing work on development of agricultural machinery and providing agrarian sector with modern machinery. 

Last year, 844 units of machinery were exported for 19 million dollars. At the meeting, “Uzagrotechmash” JSC was instructed to take measures on exporting agricultural machinery for no less than $30 million in 2018, accelerating entry to the markets of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. 

At the meeting it was noted that the share of machine and tractor parks in the system of “Uzagroservice” JSC in the volume of mechanized services rendered in the country amounted 14 percent in 2016 and reached 26 percent in 2017, this year it is expected to reach 41 percent, which indicates a positive dynamic in this sphere. However, it is necessary not to stop on the achieved results, to further increase the volume of mechanized services, the number of branches of the joint-stock company at places for agricultural machinery services, timely delivery of spare parts through special points. 

At the meeting, instructions were given on making sound proposals for increasing the share of mechanized services in the structure of concessional lending to farms. 

Instructions were also given on improving the settlement system for services of machine and tractor parks, development of a normative legal act on establishment of fixed prices on each area of mechanized services, timely resolution of current issues important for accelerated development of the industry, uninterrupted provision of farmers with modern machinery and aggregates.

Source: UzA