On August 10-11 this year, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Bukhara region to get acquainted with the progress of reforms carried out in the economy, energy, agriculture, investment, tourism, and education.
In particular, a videoconference was held on the issues of alternative energy, the use of natural gas, the stable maintenance of food stocks, and curbing inflation.
During the visit, the Head of state visited residents’ homes and studied the activities of mahallas, met with businessmen, representatives of people and authorities, and participated in launching new enterprises.
The people were inspired by the fact that the Head of our state traditionally began his visit from the mausoleum of Bakhouddin Naqshband.
It should be noted that Bukhara was famous on seven different continents, according to the historian Narshakhi, during the period of the Arab Caliphate and the rule of the Samanids, it was called Fokhira, that is, the City of Honor, as it brought up scientists who mastered the science of hadith.
Scientists of Bukhara once carried out scientific research on Islam. Since secular studies were also conducted in the madrasah as early as the 9th century, the epithets kubbat ul-Islam, which means the dome of Islam, were firmly entrenched in Bukhara.
It should be noted that this city is in no way inferior to the cities included in the seven wonders of the world. It is easy to understand that today there is a sizeable economic flow behind the city’s popularity.
In particular, the most productive sector of the economy of Bukhara region is tourism. In recent years, the state has paid great attention to it, and large-scale construction and restoration work has been carried out to attract tourists and create favorable conditions for them.
The necessary legal norms for tourists have been introduced, the visa system has been liberalized, the material and technical base of airports has been updated and digitized, and green corridors have been put into operation. Most importantly, all opportunities for the free movement of tourists are provided. Tourist enterprises were granted tax benefits and preferences. Therefore, after the coronavirus pandemic, the flow of tourists to Bukhara quickly recovered.
After the pilgrimage part of the visit, the Head of state made proposals for further expansion of the creative work carried out in the complex, increasing the flow of tourists.
He also instructed expanding the conditions for pilgrimage tourism, establishing direct flights from abroad to Bukhara, creating hotels, and carrying out landscaping work.
Currently, the number of tourists in Bukhara is increasing. For example, 58 percent come to this city from the CIS countries, 21 percent from Europe, 17 percent from Asia, and 4 percent from America and other countries.
According to statistics, more than 1 million 200 thousand foreign and 3 million local tourists will visit Bukhara this year. The average duration of their trip is 3-4 days. Foreign guests are assumed to spend $250, and local tourists about 350,000 UZS.
“If we want to achieve a stable economy in Bukhara, it is necessary to increase the tourism potential by 10 times. We must think not only about today and next year, but also 50 years ahead. If 10 million tourists come to the region, the volume of services will increase accordingly, and incomes will increase significantly”, the Head of state said.
Providing jobs for the population is a top priority
As of August 1, 2022, the population of Bukhara region was 1 million 990 thousand 400 people. 62 percent are village residents, and 38 percent are city residents. In terms of regions, the region ranks 9th in terms of population.
Young people make up 50 percent of this population, which requires the creation of industrial zones and more new jobs.
It should be noted that the region’s enterprises have been equipped with advanced technology over the past period. New packaging lines based on German technology have been launched in Bukhara, Gijduvan, Karakul, and Vabkent – bread shops. Cocoons are processed at Bukhara Silk Factory in Bukhara and its branches. As a result, the production of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing and underwear has increased at Bukhara Knitting Factory, the enterprise has its brand, and exports of products are continuously carried out. The Bukhara Garment Factory, the Bukhara and Gijduvan shoe factories, the Vardanzi joint sewing enterprise built jointly with Türkiye, and the Omega-Sitora joint venture established together with Greece are functioning effectively.
Local industrial enterprises include the Bukhoro Zarduz Joint-Stock Company, a pottery workshop, carpet-weaving factories in Gijduvan and Shafirkan, a Kagan cotton-combing factory, a Romitan textile factory, a sewing, embroidery, copper, shoe workshop, a jewelry workshop, and more than 20 brick factories.
In addition, cotton harvesting stations, dryers, cleaning shops, and ginneries are essential for securing the employment of many workers. Cotton fiber is produced according to world standards on new equipment. The activities of the Bukhara house-building plant, the Kagan lime plant, the Quyimazar and Kagan factories of prefabricated reinforced concrete products, the Minokor plant for the production of paving stones, built jointly with Italian partners, the Bukhara concrete goods, and the Gazavtomatika production association meet the requirements of the market.
Employees were encouraged by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to visit the Siyovush Textile enterprise in Kagan district and get acquainted with the work process.
By the way, if you watch the interview of the head of the Siyovush Textile enterprise on the social network, you will be convinced of the reality of the reforms in Bukhara. As it turned out, these places were abandoned a year and a half ago. After joining the infrastructure program of the FEZ Gijduvan, everything changed – instead of a wasteland, an industrial zone was created.
The enterprise was operated based on a project worth $36 million. Its production capacity is 40,000 tons of acrylic yarn per year. 600 jobs have been created here.
Analyzing the fact that the productivity of this enterprise has increased 5 times, the President noted with satisfaction that this is a new direction in New Uzbekistan.
The basis of the economy of Bukhara region is agriculture – cotton growing, grain growing, vegetable growing, horticulture, and animal husbandry. For example, irrigated lands in agriculture of the region, together with household lands of the population, amount to 273.7 thousand hectares, shifting lands – of 14.2 thousand, desert pastures – 2764.6 thousand, and cotton fields – of 129 thousand hectares. Such opportunities serve as the basis for the intensive development of the food industry.
On the socio-economic development of Bukhara region
Over the past 6 years, large-scale creative work has been carried out in Bukhara region. As a result, the number of large industrial enterprises has significantly increased, employment has been provided for the population, and social facilities and multi-storey buildings have been built, which, based on subsidies, were transferred to young families and low-income citizens.
In 2017-2020, the region’s gross domestic product increased to 31.5 trillion UZS. Industrial production increased from 5.6 trillion to 17.8 trillion UZS (an increase of 11 percent).
Agricultural production increased by 12 percent, from 10 trillion UZS in 2016 to 24.4 trillion UZS in 2020.
In 2021-2022, 713 investment projects worth almost 19 trillion UZS were formed in Bukhara region. This year, 555 will be implemented, and more than 14,000 new jobs will be created.
During the trip, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the activities of several enterprises included in Bukhoro Agrocluster.
Thus, the production of dairy products has been launched at Bukhoro Agrocluster DZZ enterprise in Bukhara. The modern complex was built on a vacant lot with a $6.2 million investment. Equipment from Italy and Russia is installed here. The facility, which opened in 2021, processes 22,000 tons of milk annually. More than 40 types of kefir, pasteurized milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, and sour cream are produced. It is noteworthy that 140 people are provided with jobs here.
Over the past years, new capacities have appeared on the complex’s territory. A modern laboratory for studying soil fertility on cluster lands was launched, equipped with advanced German technologies. Here it is possible to analyze the soil composition by more than forty indicators and the water composition by almost ten indicators.
Compared to other regions, Bukhara region has a higher salinity of sown lands. Soil analysis and innovative approaches are critical to achieving productivity. Institutional theoretical and practical approaches, the widespread use of traditional collector-drainage methods of the national economy, and the systematic planting of as many mulberry trees as possible around the sown areas in each season are considered promising.
In the laboratory mentioned above, the chemical composition of the soil is examined, and the need for plants in minerals and organic fertilizers is determined. Based on the results, measures are taken to normalize the composition of the soil.
Based on the Agro Smart Map Uz platform data – this is another enterprise project – farmers receive the necessary agro-technological recommendations.
This is an example of digitalization in agriculture.
Whatever region of our country the Head of state visits, he visits the mahalla or yards he did not plan to visit in advance. This time, his attention was attracted by the “Kahramon” mahalla in Romitan district of Bukhara region.
About 3900 people live here. The growth points of the mahalla are handicrafts and greenhouses. In greenhouses covering 200 hectares, popular vegetable crops are grown.
This makes local markets have moderate prices, and the population lives prosperously.
Furniture production, sewing, and embroidery with gold threads are well-developed, essential for tourism development.
It was a happy day at the house of Khalil Kabilov and Gulbahor Tokhtayeva. The unexpected visit of the President for the house owners made the neighbors and elders very happy. They were lucky to talk with the dear guest over a bowl of tea.
During the conversation, the Chairman of the mahalla and older people spoke about the transformations taking place in Bukhara. In particular, it was noted that there are more than ten shops, sewing workshops, hotels, and restaurants in the mahalla, where young people work. In general, there is no unemployment here. Not a single crime has been committed for a long time.
Infrastructure has been improved as part of the “Obod Mahalla” (Prosperous Neighborhood) program. Roads have been paved, sidewalks have been laid, a transformer has been installed, and electrical networks have been renewed, which makes residents very happy.
Reform is a matter of life and death for all of us
As part of the trip to Romitan district on August 10, a meeting was held on the socio-economic development of Bukhara region.
At the beginning of the meeting, a ceremony was held to launch new industrial, service, and social facilities in Bukhara region. These are the Vobkent Tola Cluster enterprises in Vabkent district, Qorakul Kumush Kalava in Karakul district, Bukhoro Real Moto in Karavulbazar district, Equatorial Chodak in Bukhara, Konchi and Prom Textile in Kagan, oil and fat enterprises in Gijduvan and Peshkun districts, a hotel in Bukhara and a medical association in Bukhara district.
The Head of state put these complexes into operation by pressing a symbolic button.
Then the current economic indicators were considered, and additional opportunities for their growth were indicated.
Bukhara’s industry has grown by 5.3 percent for six months this year. Exports amounted to $124 million. During this period, $250 million of direct investment was attracted, which is 1.5 times more than in the same period last year.
However, the fact that this indicator has decreased in some cities and districts has been criticized.
It was emphasized that by the end of the year, 858 projects will be implemented, and 15,000 jobs will be created. In general, it is necessary to employ 250 thousand people.
The task was set to reduce imports in the industry by $150 million and bring exports to $400 million. It was noted that the full use of the region’s tourism potential would employ 25 thousand people and $300 million in export earnings. Relevant instructions were given in this direction.
In a word, the fact that the Head of our state visited Bukhara region and supported the provision of employment, outpacing the development of industry, maintaining prices by stabilizing food security, developing clusters, industry based on modern technologies, the consistent growth of a prosperous life in mahallas, of course, will give the expected results in future.
Kungratbay Sharipov,
Rector of Tashkent State University of Economics.
UzA