India and Uzbekistan Expand Cooperation in Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan reported that Uzbekistan and the Republic of Mordovia of Russia intend to deepen interaction in the fields of agriculture, food processing, and animal husbandry. These issues were discussed by the Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov, and an official delegation from Mordovia led by regional head Artem Zdunov.

The parties focused on increasing trade in agricultural and food products, establishing direct links between enterprises of the two regions, and implementing joint projects. Special attention was paid to improving the practical effectiveness of previously reached agreements.

Trade between Uzbekistan and Russia in the agro-industrial complex continues to grow. In 2025, the volume of this trade reached 2.3 billion US dollars, which is 26.7% more than in the previous year. From January to July 2026, the figure amounted to 1.55 billion US dollars, demonstrating a growth of 31.7% compared to the same period in 2025.

During the meeting, possibilities for further increasing trade through projects involving companies from Mordovia were also considered. Discussions covered the supply of sugar, the promotion of Uzbek fruit and vegetable products in Russian retail chains, and establishing direct contact between food producers.

Cooperation with the company Romodanovo Sugar was discussed separately, within which the parties considered the possibility of increasing the supply of this company's products to the Uzbek market. Furthermore, representatives from Uzbekistan and Mordovia talked about interaction in animal husbandry. Specifically, they plan to use the experience of the Russian region in meat and dairy production to increase livestock productivity and introduce modern feeding technologies.

The parties also studied the potential for joint projects in training specialists for the agricultural sector. Thus, it is planned to develop cooperation not only in trade but also in production, technology, and personnel training. At the end of the negotiations, the participants emphasized the need to strengthen direct ties between enterprises of Uzbekistan and Mordovia and turn existing agreements into real projects. Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov stated that the Ministry of Agriculture is ready to support initiatives of mutual interest.

Uzbekistan and Serbia are strengthening practical interaction in the agro-industrial sector. As part of this cooperation, representatives of Uzbek small and medium-sized businesses specializing in freeze-dried fruit products and dried prunes visited Serbia from August 17 to 21.

The mission was organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the Trade Promotion East program with the support of the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan. The main goal of this program is to enhance the export potential and technological capabilities of domestic producers.

During the visit, entrepreneurs studied modern methods for producing freeze-dried products and prunes, post-harvest processing technologies, quality control systems, packaging solutions, as well as approaches to promotion and brand development.

The program started in Belgrade with a meeting at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Uzbek delegation familiarized itself with the experience of developing export-oriented agriculture, as well as the mechanisms of interaction between business, industry associations, and state structures.

Entrepreneurs also visited Serbian companies and research organizations engaged in the production and processing of fruits and vegetables. The program included visits to the enterprises Zafruit, FRIKOS, ELBI (LyoCake), Podgorina Fruct, Jovanović Voće, Processing TM, Agro Corp Duo, and the Fruit Research Institute in Čačak.

At the production and research facilities, participants studied fruit drying and processing technologies, quality control systems, modern packaging solutions, and organization of supplies to foreign markets. Practical sessions were supplemented by expert discussions on food safety, innovation, and increasing the added value of products.

It is planned that the acquired knowledge will be used for the further development of the export activities of Uzbek companies. The next stage will be business meetings with foreign buyers and partners.

B2B meetings with importers and distributors are scheduled for August 22 in Zagreb and August 24 in Ljubljana. Uzbek firms will be able to present their products, discuss the requirements of European buyers, and study opportunities for entering new external markets.

Thus, the program combines training producers in technologies with finding potential partners and new sales channels. For participating companies, this opens up opportunities to improve the competitiveness of fruit and vegetable products, implement modern production methods, and expand their presence in export markets.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan reported that Uzbekistan and Japan are discussing plans to increase interaction in the agricultural sector, including defining priority areas and new initiatives.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Alisher Shukurov met with a delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to discuss the development of this sector. A central point of the negotiations was attracting new projects that could be supported by preferential loans from the Japanese government under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program.

During the meeting, the parties examined issues of modernizing the agrarian sector, implementing advanced technologies, and increasing investment partnership. Key tasks were identified for Uzbekistan's agriculture, such as improving production efficiency, rational use of water resources, expanding the application of modern agricultural technologies, and increasing the competitiveness of agricultural products.

Representatives of the two countries studied the possibilities of applying Japanese experience in Uzbek farming. After the meeting, representatives from Uzbekistan and JICA confirmed their readiness to continue strengthening cooperation and jointly implementing planned agricultural projects.