State regulation of prices may be abolished in Uzbekistan 

Uzbekistan is considering the possibility of abolishing state regulation of prices, follows from the draft presidential decree developed by the Agency for State Assets Management.

The project consists of a strategy for implementation of the ownership scheme, management and reform of enterprises with state participation in 2019-2021.

One of the points provides for liberalization of prices for goods and services of enterprises with state participation and transition to market pricing, moving away from the policy of setting and approving prices by government bodies.

If the project is adopted, then by July 2020, the practice of setting prices by state bodies will be studied, and proposals for its abolition will be prepared by September of the same year.

In the spring of 2018, a list of socially significant types of goods and services, prices and tariffs, which are subject to state regulation, was approved. Among them, there are such products as flour, gasoline, ethyl alcohol, mineral fertilizers and more.

From September 15, 2018, a new order for the sale of a loaf of bread was introduced – it began to be sold at a free market price, formed on the basis of supply and demand. The state, in this case, regulates the retail price.

In March 2019, two more products have been removed from the list – cottonseed oil, cottonseed hulls and schrots.

At the moment, the state regulates prices for the following products:

1.  Flour produced by the enterprises of the JSC “Uzdonmakhsulot”.
2.  Tin loaf (retail price).
3.  Socially significant medicines and medical products (in accordance with a specially approved list).
4.  Liquefied gas for domestic consumption and natural gas sold through the JSC “Uztransgaz” and/or its territorial branches.
5.  Motor gasoline (Ai-80 and Ai-91 brands) sold to the public, as well as under direct contracts to budget organizations and petrol stations. 
6.  Diesel fuel sold under direct contracts to state-financed organizations, farms producing cotton and grain under the state order, JSC Uzbekistan Railways, JSC “Toshshakhartranshizmat”, state-owned enterprises for collection of household waste, and also retail to other consumers.
7.  Cotton products (raw cotton, cotton fiber, technical seeds).
8.  Ethanol.
9.  Grain (purchase prices).
10.  Mineral fertilizers.
11.  Coal sold under direct contracts to the population, budget organizations and enterprises of the JSC “Uzbekenergo”, including through the management of the department “Temiryulyonilgitamin” at the JSC Uzbekistan Railways.
12.  Products made from special types of paper with a degree of protection (securities, passport, travel document, etc.) in the State Production Association “Davlat belgisi” (“State mark”).
13.  Services for the removal of solid and liquid domestic waste.
14.  Services for the carriage of passengers in urban passenger transport (with the exception of en route taxi).
15.  TV broadcasting services, radio broadcasting programs, satellite broadcasting of radio and television programs, radio communications services.
16.  Forwarding services of sealed packages (parcels).
17.  International data transfer services and international channel rental.
18.  Cash collection services of business entities and transportation of cash and other valuables between banks.
19.  Exchange services (stock exchange transactions, clearing and informational operations, bidding, etc.) of the JSC UZEX.