Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 11 March, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference on further expanding industrial cooperation and localization. 

By a Presidential Decree from 24 January 2022, the Program for the Expansion of Production and Industrial Cooperation for 2022 was approved. Within its framework, it is planned to launch the production of new types of products for almost 37 trillion soums within the framework of 2,455 projects.

At the beginning of the meeting, the course of the program implementation was critically analyzed. Serious shortcomings in the activities of the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, Uzbekistan Temir Yullari, Issiklik Elektr Stationary JSC are indicated.

Contracts concluded through the portal "Electronic cooperation" were not executed in certain regions. The share of enterprises of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Namangan, Surkhandarya and Khorezm regions in electronic trading is less than 1 percent. Due to the lack of cooperative ties, the import of certain types of goods has increased, for the production of which there are conditions within the country.

- In the current changing conditions, the most effective way to ensure the sustainability of the economy is to use internal capabilities, the production of some imported products in our country and the further development of industry. This should become a priority for our national economy, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The meeting identified important measures in this direction. The necessity of establishing cooperation between large enterprises and local producers by types of products is indicated.

For example, after the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine posted information about imported goods and technical requirements on the cooperation portal, products worth 600 billion soums, which were previously imported from abroad, began to be produced at 18 local enterprises.

The President instructed to introduce this experience in all industries and regions, to attract entrepreneurs to master the production of imported products.

To this end, the procedure for holding industrial fairs will be changed. In addition to searching for buyers for finished products, participants will be able to develop business plans for organizing goods recommended for localization. Entrepreneurs who are interested in projects will be able to conclude supply contracts on the sidelines of the fair, and agree with banks on financing.

For this purpose, a permanent industrial exhibition will be organized in Uzexpocenter, and showrooms of local manufacturers will be organized in regional centers and industrial zones.

At the same time, the costs of marketing research in the framework of new projects and certification abroad will be partially compensated.

At the meeting, a detailed analysis of the changes taking place in the world market was carried out.

A decision was made to provide a number of benefits and preferences to enterprises that import raw materials, process them in the customs territory and export the products received from April. In particular, their projects will not require a feasibility study, product certificates, provision for customs duties, the period for issuing permits will be reduced by 3 times, and customs duties will not be levied on imported equipment.

To enter new markets, it is necessary to widely implement international standards in the industry. For example, in 2019-2021, thanks to the receipt of international certificates, 2,000 textile enterprises increased their exports by 1.5 times.

In addition, the international coalition Cotton Campaign recently lifted the boycott of Uzbek cotton. It also opens up new opportunities and new markets.

The Uzstandard Agency was tasked with increasing the number of enterprises with international certificates in other industries, as well as creating International Standards Training Centers at project offices in the regions.

The building materials industry can also develop at the expense of internal reserves. In this regard, 100 billion soums were allocated to expand the geological exploration of raw materials. This year it is planned to implement 420 projects worth US$1.8 billion. Responsible persons were instructed to launch these projects in a timely manner and increase the export of building materials.

The issue of full mobilization of existing capacities and import substitution in the pharmaceutical industry was also raised.

As you know, if industrial enterprises are cut off from science and innovation, it will be difficult for them to adapt to a new competitive environment. Therefore, the Ministry of Innovative Development has been tasked with promoting the modernization of enterprises in the regions and improving the quality of their products.

Heads of industries and large enterprises, khokims spoke at the meeting.