Garden Catering Trade under investigation after mass poisoning of children in Fergana kindergartens

According to the latest reports, dozens of children remain in hospital, while questions over responsibility and oversight remain unanswered.

Catering provider under scrutiny

The catering services in question are provided by Garden Catering Trade LLC, which supplies prepared meals to state kindergartens in Fergana and the nearby city of Kuvasoy.

Kun.uz had previously investigated the company’s activities. In April 2024, a joint venture named Turan Catering International LLC was established for the catering project. Its founders initially included Turkish investors with a 50 percent stake, Fergana based physician Muazzam Ibrohimova with 10 percent, and Elbek Juraev, a relative of Kuvasoy mayor Zafarjon Turaqulov, with 40 percent.

After Turan Catering International was dissolved, a separate company – Garden Catering Trade LLC – was established. It was initially co owned by Ikboljon Bozorov and Yildirim Adem. The company later became wholly owned by Bozorov. However, according to data from the National Statistics Committee dated February 25, the founder has since changed to Muydinjon Gofurov. The reasons for the ownership changes remain unclear. Official documents list Shavkat Turdialiev as the company’s director.

Both Turan Catering International and Garden Catering Trade are registered at the same address in the Pakana neighborhood of Kuvasoy, suggesting continuity between the two entities.

Exclusive contract without tender

While most regions of Uzbekistan use an outsourcing model for kindergarten food supply, meaning procurement of food products through competitive tenders, certain districts in Fergana region adopted a catering system involving delivery of prepared meals.

On July 25, 2024, Fergana regional governor Khayrullo Bozorov approved a decision granting Garden Catering Trade the right to implement the catering system. The document stipulated that beginning August 1, 2024, the system would be introduced in Kuvasoy state kindergartens for a five month trial period, with the company responsible for meal preparation and delivery. By the end of the year, the system was to be extended to kindergartens in Fergana city.

Under national procurement rules, companies operating under outsourcing arrangements are required to win contracts through a tender process. However, no specific regulatory framework governs catering services, which may have enabled the contract to be granted without a competitive selection process.

At the time, the Kuvasoy mayor’s office stated that no catering service providers operated in the Fergana Valley and that local kindergarten food systems were in poor condition. Garden Catering was reportedly selected for a five month trial on that basis.

Despite earlier investigative findings linking one of the former shareholders to the Kuvasoy mayor, neither the Anti Corruption Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs nor the Prosecutor General’s Office publicly addressed the matter.

Warnings prior to incident

Muazzam Ibrohimova, a physician from Fergana and one of the original authors of the catering project, said she had repeatedly warned of potential risks.

She claims the project was taken over by individuals lacking professional expertise in child nutrition and catering services. According to Ibrohimova, she submitted multiple complaints, including appeals to senior authorities, raising concerns about possible food poisoning and inadequate sanitary standards.

She stated that approximately 45,000 children currently consume meals supplied by the company and alleged that previous poisoning incidents had been concealed.

Ibrohimova further argued that children’s nutrition should not be treated purely as a business activity, but rather as part of the healthcare system, given its direct impact on public health. She also raised concerns about equipment quality, transportation standards and sanitary compliance.

According to her claims, the company has outstanding electricity debts totaling UZS 9 billion and has dismissed a number of employees in recent months. She urged authorities to hold responsible individuals accountable.

Official findings and investigation

The Ministry of Preschool and School Education previously examined the activities of Garden Catering Trade and identified multiple violations. These included failure to properly develop recipe collections, nutritional composition and caloric values in line with sanitary requirements, as well as shortcomings in transportation, storage and food safety procedures.

The Competition Committee demanded that the Fergana regional governor revoke the decision granting exclusive rights to the catering enterprise in Kuvasoy.

Kun.uz sent inquiries to the ministry and the committee regarding the outcome of these measures. The ministry did not respond. The Competition Committee stated that comments on the matter should be provided by the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Committee and local authorities.

The regional Department of Internal Affairs confirmed that a criminal case has been opened under Article 257-1 of the Criminal Code – violation of sanitary legislation or anti epidemic rules.

The situation is currently under review by the Fergana regional prosecutor’s office, law enforcement bodies and other relevant agencies. Preliminary investigative actions are ongoing, and all necessary expert examinations have been appointed.