Coronavirus: The President of Uzbekistan is expected to sign a new decree on food security

The draft presidential decree “On food security in the period of the coronavirus pandemic, rational use of available resources, additional measures of state support of agriculture” has been published for discussion.

Proposals by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations, the Agency for Geodesy and Cadastre, the Agency for Horticulture and Greenhouse Development, the Agency for Development of Viticulture and Enology to master unused land and grant them to the population for growing fruits and vegetables on preferential leasing terms will be approved.

The draft document provides for the followings:

a) unused lands that have groundwater are put into operation by the Agency for Horticulture and Greenhouse Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agency for Development of Viticulture and Enology, they will be granted to the population on preferential leasing terms;

these lands are allocated on the condition of planting fruits, vegetables, potatoes and melons, building greenhouses, using water-saving technologies;

in the first stage, 300 billion soums will be allocated to the Fund for Horticulture and Greenhouse Development and the Fund for Support of Grape Growers for the development of unused lands that have groundwater reserves;

b) planting of fruits, vegetables, potatoes and melons on lands developed by individuals and legal entities, construction of greenhouses are financed from the following sources:

loans provided by commercial banks under family business support programs, including the program “Every family – entrepreneur”, international financial institutions, personal funds of entrepreneurs, foreign investments;

funds from the Horticulture and Greenhouse Development Fund, Grape Growers Support Fund;

funds of the State Fund for Employment Support, the Fund for Support of Farmers, Dehkans and Landowners and other sources not prohibited by law;

c) the population is granted preferential leasing for a period of up to 7 years with a grace period of 3 years, the annual interest rate at the basic rate of the Central Bank for planting fruit, vegetables, potatoes and melons on developed lands, construction of greenhouses;

d) the lease of newly developed land is sold by regional, district and city khokimiyats for 5-10 years in agreement with the Agency for Horticulture and Greenhouse Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agency for Viticulture Development for the cultivation of certain types of food. In this case, the proceeds from the sale of the lease will be used for the commissioning of new land;

e) the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional khokims, the Agency for Horticulture and Greenhouse Development under the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agency for Viticulture Development are responsible for the allocation of unused land having groundwater.

It was noted that people, who plant fruits, vegetables, potatoes and melons on the developed lands, who build greenhouses there, will be granted privileges envisaged in the presidential resolution PQ-4549 “On additional measures to further develop the fruit and vegetable and viticulture sector, to create a value chain in the industry” of December 11, 2019.