Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – Some 766 industrial zones have been created in Uzbekistan. Of these: free economic zones - 24, youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones - 210 and small industrial zones - 532. Today, out of a total area of 11.9 thousand hectares of land allocated in industrial zones for investment projects, production facilities are located on 6.4 thousand hectares.

Based on the results of the analysis of sales volumes of land plots through electronic online auctions in industrial zones (on lease basis), the following results were obtained:

Free and special economic zones: during 2023, land plots with a total area of 778.4 hectares, consisting of 213 lots, were put up for auction with an initial price of 81.5 billion soums and sold for 101.2 billion soums (in 1. 24 times higher than the declared value). The largest number of plots were sold in Tashkent - 64 (30%) and Samarkand - 58 (27.2%) regions, while in the Andijan region land plots were not put up for electronic auction.

Small industrial zones: out of 532 industrial zones across the republic, 2,821 land plots with an area of 604.2 hectares were put up for auction. Of these, 1,541 land plots (54.6%) were sold at auction for 85.8 billion soums (1.34 times higher than the declared value). The largest number of land plots were put up for auction in Fergana - 586 (20.7%), Syrdarya - 343 (12.1%), Navoi - 292 (10.3%) regions. The highest sales rate was recorded in the Republic of Karakalpakstan - 169 (10.9%), Fergana - 257 (16.7%) and Navoi - 236 (15.3%) regions.

Youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones: in 2023, 1,071 land plots with a total area of 82.6 hectares were put up for auction with an initial cost of 23.2 billion soums, of which 527 lots (49.2%) were sold for an amount of 15.3 billion soums (1.34 times higher than the stated price). The largest number of land plots were put up for auction in the Republic of Karakalpakstan - 165 (15.4%), Khorezm - 226 (21.1%) and Bukhara - 177 (16.5%) regions. In the Andijan and Namangan regions, during the reporting period, land plots in youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones were not put up for auction.

In order to effectively use land in industrial zones, as well as further accelerate the processes of selling land plots at electronic auctions for the placement of production facilities, it is proposed:

- In order to regulate the powers, rights and obligations of the Unified Directorates by regulatory legal acts, it is necessary to amend the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated March 9, 2020 No. 134;

- Provide participants in small industrial, youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones with the right to pledge real estate (without taking into account land rights) to obtain credit resources;

- Development of special regulations regulating the procedure for privatization of buildings, structures and land plots in small industrial, youth industrial and entrepreneurial zones assigned to business entities that have fulfilled their obligations to create production facilities and have been successfully operating for 3-5 years.