Uzbekistan Plans to Increase Cattle Population to 16.5 Million and Boost Meat and Dairy Processing to 50%
The new structure was created following the reorganization of the Committee for Veterinary and Livestock Development. The Agency will be responsible for implementing the modernization program of the industry, improving the efficiency of livestock farms, and developing the breeding base. The agency is headed by Orif Butaev, who also became the Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
A key area of the reform will be the utilization of pasture potential. According to authorities, Uzbekistan has about 16 million hectares of pastureland, but currently, only about 10% of their potential is being used. Expanding the inclusion of pastures into economic circulation is expected to be a factor in increasing livestock production.
In the medium term, authorities plan to increase the cattle population to 16.5 million, sheep and goats to 30 million, and poultry to 141 million. Simultaneously, there is a goal to raise the level of meat and milk processing to 50%, increase the share of breeding livestock to 90%, and expand areas under fodder crops by 1.5 times.
To support livestock farms, commercial banks will start providing preferential loans from June 1, with terms up to 10 years at an annual rate of 10%, including a four-year grace period. Additionally, the import of breeding livestock will be exempt from value-added tax until 2029.
It is planned to allocate 1 trillion soms and $50 million at 6% per annum for financing new projects within the banking system. These resources are expected to implement about 1,500 projects in 2026, create 25,000 jobs, and additionally increase the livestock population by 400,000 heads.
A separate component of the reforms involves workforce training. Starting June 1, leading agricultural universities in Uzbekistan will launch specialized 10-day courses on artificial insemination. Such programs must be attended by at least 1,000 specialists annually.
Subsidies are also being introduced for the development of breeding livestock. A payment of 500,000 soms is provided for each pedigree calf obtained through artificial insemination, and a subsidy of 700,000 soms is offered for calves produced using embryo transfer technology.
