The key facts
- The minister admitted that domestic meat production does not cover growing demand due to a weak feed base and infrastructure.
- Under Presidential Decree No. 322, complexes for 30–40 head are being created near cotton and grain fields; this year, 16,000 farmers will build them.
- In 2026, the import of 841,000 head of new-breed livestock and more than 400,000 sheep and goats is planned.
Minister admits: production is not keeping up with demand
In Uzbekistan, amid population growth and rising meat consumption, domestic production does not fully cover demand. On November 6, in an interview with the media, Minister of Agriculture Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov stated this, Gazeta reports. He named one of the main reasons the fact that the feed base and livestock infrastructure have not been developed sufficiently for years.
Complexes near fields and livestock imports
Among the measures being taken is the creation of livestock complexes for 30–40 head of cattle next to cotton and grain fields based on Presidential Decree No. 322. According to the minister, this year such complexes will be built for each of 16,000 farmers, which, in his assessment, will have a significant effect on meat production. At the same time, imports of breeding cattle are expanding: this year, 841,000 head of new-breed livestock are being brought into the country, and the import of more than 400,000 sheep and goats is also planned. Decree No. 322 has been published on lex.uz; its contents are cited in Gazeta's publication.
Why the results will not come quickly
Abdurakhmonov emphasized that changes in livestock farming will not yield results in a short time: the process requires not only infrastructure but also the import of pedigree cattle, proper care, and veterinary safety.
Pastures:
A separate topic is the state of pastures, which, the minister admitted, have been degrading for years due to insufficient attention to their restoration. Unexpectedly, he named the shortage of livestock on pastures as one of the causes of degradation: without trampling and the effect of animals' saliva, grass roots do not grow.
Context: meat imports from India
Earlier, in September, it was reported that with the expansion of meat imports from India , Uzbek companies and specialists will participate in preparing the products on site, including monitoring animal slaughter and compliance with halal requirements. Supplies are also planned to be developed through Turkish partners and the port of Mersin. Thus, the measures announced by the minister are a combination of already launched projects (complexes near fields, current livestock imports) and supply channels under development, while the minister himself notes that their effect will not appear immediately.
