Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - The amount of minimum consumer spending increased by 13.2% compared to last year. The minimum consumer spending (MCS) made up 498,000 soums per month per person, according to the State Statistics Committee.

On 31 May 2021, a preliminary estimate of the cost of the MCS was announced for the first time in Uzbekistan. The procedure for calculating the MNR was determined by the corresponding government resolution of 27 August 2021.

MCS were calculated based on the results of a survey of 10.6 thousand households across the country, which were divided into 10 groups according to the amount of expenditure. Among them were identified 30% of households with the lowest income and expenses.

As a result of the survey, the minimum food consumption (2200 kcal) per capita was calculated. Expenditures on the necessary consumption of non-food goods and services were also taken into account.

According to calculations, the minimum consumer spending on food and necessary goods and services in households with minimum incomes per month amounted to 498 thousand soums per person.

On May 31, a press conference "On preliminary estimates of the cost of minimum consumer spending in Uzbekistan" was held. At the event, a preliminary estimate of the cost of the minimum consumer spending of the population in Uzbekistan was announced. Then it amounted to 440 thousand soums per person (food - 69% and non-food costs - 31%). The survey involved 5.4 thousand households.

The MCS indicator is a poverty line and is used for the following purposes:

- determination of the target group of the population in need of material and other social support from the state;

- determination of the poverty line, taking into account the real consumer characteristics and needs of the population;

- the establishment of the minimum amount of pensions and benefits, as well as the use of this approach as a criterion for the provision of other types of material assistance from the state to low-income families.

Earlier, the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) conducted a comparison of the minimum consumer spending in Uzbekistan and other countries, which showed that the level of the MCS is 27% of the level of GDP per capita. For comparison, in Kazakhstan this figure is 11%, in Turkey 17%, in Russia 19%.