Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 9 September, the President of Uzbekistan signed a decree on the accelerated development of the food industry and the full provision of the population with quality food.

The Ministry of Agriculture has additional tasks:

creation of conditions for mutually beneficial relations between enterprises growing (producing) fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy and other agricultural food products, and enterprises for their processing, procurement and sale;

increasing the competitiveness and diversification of domestic food products, developing strategies and models for the development of the food industry through the effective use of the available natural and economic resources of the regions;

creation of new tools and information systems - financial and non-financial measures to support business entities engaged in the processing of fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy and other agri-food products, implementation of projects in highly effective areas;

analysis and forecasting of the impact of the inflow of private and foreign direct investment on the development of the food industry, development of relevant proposals in this direction

taking measures to create modern trade and logistics centers, promote domestic food products in world markets, increase their competitiveness, expand export potential and reduce imports.

For their effective implementation, the Main Directorate for the Development of the Food Industry (on the basis of the Directorate for Processing Agricultural Products and Development of Infrastructure) is formed in the central office of the ministry. It will be headed by its chief - the deputy minister. The staff of management personnel is 12 units, of which 8 are being introduced additionally. In addition, 20 billion soums from the Winemaking Development Fund will be transferred to it. In turn, the Fund will finance 50% of the costs:

to prepare a feasibility study and provide infrastructure for new promising projects for the production of food products in the amount of no more than 100 million soums for each project;

to attract foreign experts to the production and deep processing of food products in the amount of no more than 50 million soums for each project.

The document also envisages the liquidation of the Ozbekoziqovqatholding Holding Company formed in 2016. The rest of the funds following the liquidation of the Fund for the Development, Reconstruction and Modernization of Food Industry Enterprises operating under it will be transferred to the Fund. The Ministry of Finance will repay the loans of the liquidated company received from IFIs and foreign banks under the guarantee of the government to create capacities for processing dairy products.

From 2021/2022, the parameters of the state order for admission to full-time and part-time undergraduate studies in the areas "5321000 - Food technology (by type of product)" and "5410500 - Technology of storage and primary processing of agricultural products (by type of product)" will be gradually increased.

The basis will be the personnel needs of the Ministry of Agriculture and other interested ministries and departments. Also, a database of objects will be formed, where students of specialized areas (specialties) can practice. To this end, they will establish cooperation with leading enterprises, organizations and institutions that have introduced modern equipment and technologies in the field of food technology.