Minimum export prices to be introduced for export of fruits and vegetables

On February 29, the Cabinet of Ministers issued a resolution introducing supervision over the export of fruits and vegetables. The document was published on Lex.uz.

The measures are aimed at preventing artificially low export prices and combating the “shadow” economy. It was instructed to approve the list of products subject to supervision and launch a system for monitoring pricing in export contracts by May 1.

The list will be compiled by the Government Commission on Investment, Industrial Development and Trade Regulation. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be able to approve recommended minimum export prices for the goods included in it.

To this end, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry will constantly monitor the situation in world prices for fruits and vegetables. She will be assisted in this by the MIPT, as well as the Agency for Quarantine and Plant Protection, which the President instructed to facilitate the export of fruits and vegetables.

Minimum export prices will be calculated weekly based on the following factors:

•  openly stated prices in information and analytical publications, the media and the Internet;
•  prices on foreign markets according to data from diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan abroad;
•  export prices obtained from data from exporters and foreign representative offices of MIIT;
•  prices received upon requests from sourcing companies, local and foreign traders;
•  production costs, wholesale and retail prices on the domestic market.

Information on recommended export prices should be submitted to the Unified Electronic System of Foreign Trade Operations. It will also be openly published on the websites of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Quarantine Agency, as well as on their social networks.

Export prices for fruits and vegetables in contracts may be reduced in relation to the recommended ones by no more than 20%.

If this requirement is violated, the Customs Committee will have to send notifications to the Tax Committee and the PGO Department for Combating Economic Crimes for investigation.