During his visit on February 13 to the Akhangaran district of the Tashkent region, President Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the work of several enterprises and later held a meeting to discuss key tasks for economic growth in various sectors.
He noted that the situation in the footwear and leather industry leaves much to be desired, which led to the dismissal of the head of the association. In this sector, fashion changes very quickly, and it is important for enterprises to adapt to market demands to maintain competitiveness.
However, Uzbekistan faces serious problems. Out of 972 companies operating in the footwear industry, 378 have already ceased operations, and another 120 are using less than half of their production capacities. There is a high dependence on imports, as significant volumes of lasts, laces, and other fittings are brought into the country.
As a result of last year, the industry was unable to fulfill even 40% of the export plan, which was set at $250 million, the president summarized. He called the current plans for footwear production and export supplies unsatisfactory and instructed responsible officials to revitalize the sector, increase the load on enterprises, develop localization and exports, as well as optimize the management of the association 'Uzcharmsanoat'.
The meeting also noted that in several other areas, responsible individuals are not actively implementing innovations and are slow to respond to changes in their fields.
Over the past three years, the share of industry in added value has increased from 40.7% to 43%. Nevertheless, in some sectors, the figures are below average. For example, in the food industry — 30%, in electrical engineering — 29.3%, in automotive manufacturing — 20.7%.
The president also paid attention to automotive manufacturing. Uzbek factories plan to produce 650,000 cars per year but are not reaching this figure. In this regard, he instructed to increase capacities to 510,000 vehicles.
Additionally, the task was set to organize the production of 763 new types of parts in cooperation with local companies. To stimulate demand for cars, according to the president, banks should lower interest rates on auto loans and increase the volume of such transactions.
He also emphasized the need to increase the production of tractors, harvesting machines, and sapling planting machines. Farmers are ready to purchase 15,000 units of agricultural machinery per year, provided that the Chirchik cluster operates at full capacity, competitive prices are available, and convenient leasing options are offered.
In conclusion, key economic indicators were announced. Last year, Uzbekistan's gross domestic product exceeded $147 billion, increasing by 7.7%.
“It is expected that by 2026, the economy will grow by 6.6%, and GDP will reach $167 billion. This is a cautious forecast, taking into account the geopolitical situation and economic fluctuations,” Mirziyoyev summarized.
