Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 21 January, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a presentation on measures to develop poultry farming and ensure the efficient use of pastures.

These sectors play a vital role in food security and making food products accessible. Due to the favorable conditions created and projects implemented in recent years, production indicators in these areas show steady growth. To further strengthen these trends, Uzbekistan aims to increase poultry meat production to 1 million tons and egg production to 10.5 billion units in 2025. The export of poultry products is planned to double, reaching $180 million.

In the livestock sector, 1,350 new projects are scheduled for implementation. Meat production is expected to reach 3.2 million tons, while milk production is projected to exceed 13 million tons, 30% of which will be processed industrially.

The presentation included discussions on specific proposals to achieve these goals. Notably, work has begun to establish breeding poultry farms focused on meat breeds. In collaboration with international partners, this expertise will also extend to egg production.

Regions such as Andijan, Namangan, Samarkand, and Khorezm have successfully implemented cooperative poultry farming models. This approach simultaneously provides income to the population and supports the efficient operation of industry enterprises. For example, the “Yetti Khazina” enterprise in Kushrabat District supplies families with vaccinated poultry, cages, and feed and then purchases the eggs produced.

The President emphasized the importance of scaling such initiatives nationwide, which would not only boost production volumes but also create additional jobs. To this end, $50 million will be allocated.

Instructions were also given to restore the financial health and improve the efficiency of poultry enterprises that have temporarily ceased operations or are functioning below capacity.

Special attention was given to the use of pastures, which are a critical resource for the well-being of the population. Currently, nearly half of the pastures remain unused due to a lack of pasture plant seed production, water facilities, wells, digital monitoring, and an effective leasing system for these lands.

To address these issues, it was proposed to transfer pastures under the management of the Committee on Veterinary and Livestock Development. An electronic map, “E-yaylov,” will be created to catalog all pasture areas, indicating their intended purposes—whether for livestock, crops, or geological exploration.

In seven regions with the largest pastures, specialized enterprises, similar to forestry farms, will be established to oversee the conservation and rational use of these lands. Pastures managed by these enterprises will be leased to the population for up to 30 years through auctions for livestock grazing and cultivating pistachio and almond trees.

The President approved these initiatives, instructing efforts to restore degraded pastures, create additional wells, and develop pasture plant seed production. In 2025, a pilot project will be launched, organizing the grazing of 1 million sheep on 500,000 hectares of pastures.

Additionally, discussions covered financial support for livestock and poultry farming enterprises. Particular attention was paid to increasing employment and reducing poverty through the implementation of new projects and the development of cooperative models.