️ Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev criticized the activities of some regional governors and their investment deputies in the pharmaceutical sector during a meeting on March 5. Although five pharmaceutical zones have been established across the republic covering 136 hectares, in some areas these zones are effectively neglected. For example, no medicinal products were produced last year in the 25-hectare Jizzakh pharmaceutical zone, and 14 hectares of land in the Bustonlik zone have been idle since 2017.
️ The president pointed out that governors are not only failing to increase the number of new projects but are also unable to efficiently utilize existing capacities. Last year, the working capital of 96 enterprises across the republic decreased by 312 billion soums. No projects were launched in Jizzakh and Samarkand regions, while Bukhara region saw only one project worth $200,000, and Khorezm region had one project worth $2 million.
️ Entrepreneurs appealed to extend tax benefits from pharmaceutical zones to other enterprises, as such zones are not available in all regions. Shavkat Mirziyoyev supported this initiative and announced new support measures. Starting April 1, projects for producing pharmaceutical products, as well as cultivating and processing medicinal plants, regardless of location, will be exempt from land tax for three years.
️ Additionally, entrepreneurs will be exempt from profit tax and property tax for three years after a project's launch. Annually by July 1, a list of medicinal products and medical devices recommended for localization will be published. Entrepreneurs wishing to implement projects to produce drugs from this list can obtain loans in foreign currency at an annual rate of 7%.
️ The president tasked officials with forming and launching new pharmaceutical projects worth $1 billion. Regional authorities have prepared project proposals totaling $2.5 billion. Their implementation would enable the production of medicines replacing $1 billion in imports annually. For instance, Andijan region plans to implement 16 projects worth $203 million, including a $30 million project to produce human albumin from blood plasma, which would be the first such production facility in Uzbekistan.
️ Meanwhile, it was noted that the volume of projects proposed by the governors of Navoi, Kashkadarya, and Surkhandarya regions does not even reach $100 million. The president instructed to study the economic efficiency of the presented projects and take measures for their implementation. Officials were tasked with launching a rehabilitation program for enterprises operating at low capacity or transferred to bank balances.
️ Customs Committee Chairman Akmalxo'ja Mavlonov stated in January the need to "turn imports into investments" and strengthen quality control of drugs. In 2025, the pharmaceutical sector's turnover reached $2 billion, an 18% increase (approximately $300 million) compared to 2024. Export volume amounted to $32 million. According to him, last year, $803 million (40%) of drugs were imported into the country at temperatures between 25 and 45 degrees, violating transportation conditions. Shavkat Mirziyoyev set a goal at the meeting to increase the share of local medicines in the domestic market to 70% by 2030 and boost exports to $1 billion within the next five years.
Source: www.gazeta.uz