Kashkadarya has high potential in all leading areas, such as industry, energy, agriculture, and tourism. Since the beginning of the year, the region has mastered $2 billion in investments. 565 thousand people have been employed, and 90 thousand people have been lifted out of poverty. By the end of the year, the gross regional product is expected to grow by more than 6 percent, and exports will reach $555 million.
The results will be much more significant if the region’s potential is fully utilized. Additional opportunities and new projects in this area were discussed at the meeting.
First, food security will be a priority. Starting next year, Kashkadarya will switch to full self-sufficiency in potatoes, fruits, poultry, and eggs. In this direction, 16 large projects have been formed with the participation of foreign investors.
For example, a modern garden with an area of 300 hectares will be created in Guzar, Qamashi and Shakhrisabz districts. An additional 4 thousand tons of fruits will be grown here annually, and 600 jobs will be created. Organic cultivation of melons and vegetables will be expanded in the Kukdala, Chiroqchi, Shakhrisabz, Koson, and Nishon districts. The production of watermelon concentrate, shock freezing, and freeze-drying will be established.
Special attention is paid to the development of livestock farming in the region. 62 thousand heads of sheep and about 10 thousand heads of cattle will be imported from the countries of the region and Europe, which will be bred based on cooperation with the population and livestock farms. A livestock cluster for 1 thousand heads and a poultry farm for 1 million heads will be created in Qarshi and Qamashi.
To increase the share of finished products in the cotton industry, 5 textile enterprises worth $233 million will be launched. As a result, fabric production capacity will increase by 51 percent.
Tourism around the villages of Miraki in Shakhrisabz and Maydanak in Qamashi, Achinkul, and Sechankul in Mirishkor district is developing dynamically. It is planned to invest $300 million in such facilities and create more than 200 guest houses and a thousand retail outlets, which will employ 5,000 people.
Entrepreneurs propose to produce finished products based on 147 non-metallic deposits in the region. $209 million will be invested in this, and the deposits will gradually be put up for auction.
In accordance with the decree of the President, the program “From Poverty to Prosperity” was launched in the country on November 1 this year. Six large enterprises of Kashkadarya region contributed to this noble cause and came up with the initiative to lift more than 10 thousand citizens out of poverty next year. In addition, it is planned to launch 86 driver projects and 33 thousand microprojects with the participation of banks, which will provide income to another 70 thousand people. Thanks to this, the region’s poverty level will decrease from 8.6 to 6.5 percent.
At the meeting, the Hokim of Kashkadarya region presented his plans. In particular, it is planned to attract $3.5 billion in investments next year, increase exports to $1 billion, and create 300 thousand jobs.
The Head of state noted that today’s indicators do not correspond to the region’s capabilities, and gave instructions to improve efficiency. The task was set to develop additional projects for $300 million in industry, agriculture and services together with the initiators.
