20.06.2025

On June 20 a meeting was held in Kukdala district under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev dedicated to the issues of socio-economic development of Kashkadarya region.

The Head of State emphasized that the region is going through major transformations, and reforms are reflected in the people’s lives.

Previously, oil and gas and chemical industries accounted for more than half of the region's industry. In recent years, a qualitative leap has been made in the spheres of electrical engineering, production of construction materials, textile and furniture industries. The share of these industries in the region's industry has now reached 54 percent.

However, the development does not stand still - there are still many tasks to be solved. It is estimated that Kashkadarya has an untapped potential of at least $15 billion. Even if one-third of this potential is utilized, the gross regional product could be increased to $10 billion over the next five years.

As is known, reform centers are being established in the districts included in the accelerated development program. It was emphasized that new projects launched in Shahrisabz, Yakkabag and Kukdala can serve as a model for these centers. Now a similar center will be established in Kashkadarya region.

The President outlined additional reserves for comprehensive development of the region. The greatest potential lies in agricultural lands. Thus, irrigated lands in the region amount to 515 thousand hectares, lands for homesteads and gardens - 45 thousand hectares, which is the highest indicator in the country.

In addition, the region has 1.3 million hectares of pastures and forest lands. A special company will be created for their effective utilization.

It will be granted joint stock company status and appropriate financing, including investments. The leadership of the supervisory board is entrusted to the Prime Minister. At the initial stage the company will be allocated $100 million. At the expense of these funds and attracted investments it is planned to carry out laser leveling of at least 200 thousand hectares of pastures and forest lands and introduce water saving technologies within two years.

A comprehensive livestock breeding development program will be launched. For these purposes, soft loans will be provided from the Fund for Agriculture for up to 12 months at 14 percent. Thanks to this, 127 farms in the region will reach full capacity. Additional financial support will be provided to livestock breeders.

Since the beginning of the year the export of fruits and vegetables in the region has doubled and amounted to $62 million. Watermelons from Kukdala are especially famous. There is a similar export potential for tomatoes. In this regard, industrial cultivation of tomatoes will be established on 6 thousand hectares in 13 districts.

For potato growing, soft loans will be granted for up to 12 months at 10 percent per annum. The import of necessary equipment will be exempted from customs duties, and 50 percent of VAT will be reimbursed for the purchase of high reproduction seeds.

Employment and poverty reduction remain priorities. Despite the fact that 284 thousand people have been employed since the beginning of the year, unemployment remains high in the region. Therefore, it is planned to employ 470 thousand people in Kashkadarya this year, lift 150 thousand families out of poverty and turn Kitab district, as well as the cities of Karshi and Shakhrisabz into “territories without unemployment and poverty”.

In particular, tourist zones will be created in the picturesque corners of Shakhrisabz, Kamashi, Guzar and Chirakchi districts. Conditions will improve at the Chiyal market in Kukdala district for suppliers of the traditional dish, yahna, which will contribute to the development of gastronomic tourism. A blacksmith craft center will appear in Karasuv mahalla of Shakhrisabz city.

Unemployed citizens will be trained in foreign languages and sent to work in high-income countries. On the basis of more than 120 objects and 400 hectares of lands put up for auction, enterprises for 70 thousand jobs will be created.

This year the region is to attract investments worth $3.5 billion. For five months the volume of investments has almost doubled in Kasan, Kitab and Chirakchi.

It was noted that the subsoil of the region has great potential for attracting investments and creating products with high added value. Thus, in five promising deposits of Kitab, reserves of 39 tons of gold have been discovered, and in Chirakchi - 10 thousand tons of rare earth metals. In the field of construction materials, 16 projects worth $150 million have been prepared.

A 200-hectare innovative industrial zone will be created around the gas processing plant in Mubarek, using existing infrastructure. Five major projects in the fields of petrochemicals, electrical engineering, robotics and building materials will be implemented in this zone using a cluster system.

Despite the region's leadership in cotton production, the region's share in the country's textile industry remains less than 10 percent. It is planned to launch 35 projects worth $400 million in this field. Cotton processing will reach 51 percent this year and 100 percent next year.

Such large-scale economic projects require developed infrastructure. Thus, the reconstruction of 100 kilometers of the highway “Guzar - Bukhara - Nukus - Beineu” passing through the region will allow to increase transit potential three times.

A 106-kilometer section of the highway “Karshi - Shakhrisabz - Kitab” will also be reconstructed and widened from two to four lanes. A new 34-kilometer bypass road around Kamashi and Yakkabagh district centers will be constructed under the project. With the participation of the Islamic Development Bank, a 60-kilometer section of the Tashkent-Termez highway through the oblast will become four-lane and receive a cement concrete pavement.

To improve the living conditions of the population, 7700 apartments will be built. This year it is planned to build 183 kilometers of water supply and sewerage networks, as well as 8 water structures.

The issues of youth employment and organization of their leisure time were also considered at the meeting. The objective was set to cover young people with the program “Youth Business”, and university graduates with the program “Step into the Future”, providing them with support in entrepreneurship and employment.

- As you can see, many tasks are planned in Kashkadarya. I am sure that hardworking, sincere and noble residents of this region, who inherited courage, fortitude and generosity from their great ancestor Amir Temur, will achieve all the set goals. I believe that the people of Kashkadarya will be at the forefront of our reforms, - said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

At the end of the meeting, regional and district khokims, heads of industries made reports on the issues discussed, and an open dialogue was held with entrepreneurs and representatives of the public.