Small businesses produce 52.5% of Uzbekistan’s GDP

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Small business entities of Uzbekistan produced 52.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 compared to 50.1% in January-December 2009, the State Statistics Committee of the country said.

The sector provided employment to 8.639 million persons (74.4% of total persons employed in the economy). The individual sector employed 6.667 million persons and small enterprises and microfirms - 1.973 million persons.

Industrial output of the small businesses reached 6.569 trillion soums in 2010 (19.6% of total industrial production in Uzbekistan) or grew by 26.4% year-on-year.

The sector utilized 4.746 trillion soums of investments (30.8% of total utilized investments in Uzbekistan), which rose by 45.3% compared to 2009.

Small businesses executed construction works for 4.279 trillion soums (52.3% of total construction works in Uzbekistan), which is up 37% year-on-year.

This sector ensured the growth of freight turnover of motor transport by 9.6% (75.8% of total freight turnover in the country) and passenger turnover - by 9.5% (83.8% of total passenger turnover in Uzbekistan).

The sector formed 50.5% (10.821 trillion soums) of total retail trade turnover (+25%) and 47.7% (3.776 trillion soums) of total paid services (+13.7%), the committee said.

Small business entities exported goods worth US$1.774 billion (13.6% of total exports of Uzbekistan), which is 2,9% more compared to January-December 2009. The sector also imported goods for US$3.224 billion (36.6% of total imports), which is 19.6% down year-on-year.

The number of persons engaged in the private sector of small business was 7995,0 thousand or 92,5% of total employment in the sphere of small business.