Uzbekistan Expands Indian Meat Imports and Jute Crops

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan plans to expand agricultural and food sector cooperation with India by increasing meat imports, establishing joint processing ventures, and introducing new crop varieties, Agriculture Minister Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov announced during an interview held alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tashkent.

Seed production remains a central area of collaboration, with Indian companies implementing new crop varieties across Uzbekistan. In the Khorezm region, salt-tolerant cotton varieties are being tested on 12,000 hectares, alongside newly imported vegetable and fodder crop seeds.

In the meat sector, Uzbekistan aims to increase imports of lower-cost Indian meat through joint ventures and updated agreements with India's Allana Group. The initiative involves both meat imports and production projects, with Uzbek specialists directly participating in processing and halal slaughtering operations within India to ensure compliance with quality and certification standards. Supply logistics will involve Turkish partners via the Port of Mersin.

India is currently the primary supplier of beef to Uzbekistan. In the first half of 2026, Uzbekistan imported 72,000 tonnes of beef valued at US$359.5 million, representing a 9.1 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025. India accounted for 33,900 tonnes—or approximately 47 percent—of total beef imports. Additional supplies came from Belarus at 19,600 tonnes, Kazakhstan at 10,600 tonnes, and Pakistan at 4,000 tonnes.

Bilateral agricultural trade between the two nations has expanded more than threefold in recent years. Uzbekistan exports over 30 agricultural products to India, with the government transitioning from third-country transit to direct shipments, particularly for leguminous crops.

Uzbekistan is also expanding domestic jute cultivation to reduce natural fiber imports, which currently cost nearly US$30 million annually. Jute is currently cultivated on almost 2,000 hectares, with plans to expand planting to at least 50,000 hectares for use alongside cotton in textile manufacturing. Separately, Uzbekistan imported more than 10 tonnes of early-maturing cumin seeds from India in partnership with Nath Bio-Genes to test intercropping between cotton rows across various regions.