Government ready to subsidize 50% of air transport costs for meat imports

To stabilize meat prices across the republic, the government will now provide subsidies for the importation of specific meat products via air transport. The Agricultural Sector Payments Agency, established in November 2025, has been designated as the body responsible for managing these disbursements.

Under the new regulations, the state budget will cover 50% of the air freight costs for sheep and cattle meat from April 1 to August 1, 2026. This compensation is capped at 80 cents per kilogram, which currently equates to approximately UZS 9,766.46 based on current exchange rates. This temporary measure is designed to bridge supply gaps during the critical second quarter of the year.

Furthermore, the government has extended support to the livestock sector by pledging to compensate 10% of the cost of high-breed cattle imported into Uzbekistan by air. This subsidy, available until the end of 2026, is limited to a maximum of UZS 4 million per head of cattle.

The introduction of these subsidies follows a high-level meeting led by the President on March 30, which focused on achieving economic forecasts and softening the negative effects of international market instability. Ilhom Norkulov, the First Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, previously noted that the second quarter would be a decisive period for the national economy. He emphasized that the government is prepared to utilize aviation for logistics in cases where road transport capacity is limited or insufficient to meet domestic demand.