President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed a sharply negative assessment of the work of the 'Uzcharmsanoat' association ('Uzkozhprom'), which is responsible for the development of the leather industry, and made the decision to dismiss its chairman Akbar Sultanov. The head of state was dissatisfied with the fact that plans in this area had not been fulfilled, and the interaction with local producers was insufficient, as stated by the president's press service.
During his visit on February 13 to the Akhangaran district of the Tashkent region, the president familiarized himself with the work of several enterprises and held a meeting dedicated to the priorities for economic growth in various sectors.
According to Mirziyoyev, the footwear production sector, like the entire leather industry, has fallen behind. Therefore, a decision was made to change the leadership of the 'Uzcharmsanoat' association. It is important to note that fashion in the footwear industry changes very quickly, and to maintain competitiveness, enterprises need to adapt to market demands.
Nevertheless, serious problems are observed in Uzbekistan. Out of 972 companies operating in this sector, 378 have already ceased their activities, and 120 enterprises are using less than half of their production capacities. At the same time, there remains a high dependence on imports, as significant volumes of lasts, laces, and other fittings are imported into the country.
According to the results of the past year, as noted by the president, the industry failed to fulfill even 40% of the export plan of $250 million. The plans for the current year in the area of footwear production and export activities were characterized as unsatisfactory. Mirziyoyev instructed responsible officials to improve the sector, increase the load on enterprises, develop localization and exports, and organize effective management of the 'Uzcharmsanoat' association.
At the same meeting, the president emphasized that there is also a lack of innovation in other areas and a slow response from responsible officials to changes.
Over the past three years, the share of industry in added value has increased from 40.7% to 43%, however, in certain sectors, this figure remains below the average. For example, in the food industry, it is 30%, in electrical engineering — 29.3%, and in automotive — 20.7%.
The president paid special attention to automobile production. Uzbek factories have the potential to produce 650,000 cars per year, but this plan is not being realized. In this regard, Mirziyoyev instructed to increase production capacity to 510,000 units.
In addition, a task was set to establish the production of 763 new types of parts in cooperation with local companies. To maintain stable demand, the president noted the need to reduce auto loan rates and increase the volume of such transactions from banks.
Additionally, it is necessary to increase the production of tractors and machines for harvesting and planting seedlings, as farmers are ready to purchase 15,000 units of agricultural machinery per year, provided that the Chirchik cluster operates at full capacity, offers competitive prices, and convenient leasing conditions.
Important economic indicators were also 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 the gross domestic product will reach $167 billion. This forecast is cautious and takes into account the geopolitical situation and economic fluctuations,” concluded the president.
