As part of the socio-economic development measures for the region, Karakalpakstan will develop livestock projects with a total herd size of at least 100,000 head over the month, stated Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting in Nukus.
Mirziyoyev noted that Karakalpakstan possesses 4.3 million hectares of pastureland, of which 2.5 million hectares are underutilized, limiting income growth and livestock numbers.
According to the president, the company Beruniy Agrostar is working to restore 2,000 hectares of unused land in the districts of Kungrad, Beruni, and Chimbay for growing fodder crops. It is planned that next year the company will expand this area by another 5,000 hectares.
The president announced that 5,000 sheep and goats will be imported from Mongolia, Turkey, China, and Australia. Livestock breeders from the Beruni district have also expressed readiness to bring 5,000 head of cattle, provided that conditions for compensating air transport costs are eased.
Mirziyoyev specified that the cost of breeding bulls delivered by plane is now subsidized at a rate of 10%, but no more than 4 million soms per head.
Furthermore, the president mentioned that over 200 farmers, including 26 from Karakalpakstan, were sent to Egypt to study the country's experience. In the initial stage, this experience will be implemented on an area of 20,000 hectares in the region.
Funds amounting to 60 million US dollars as a loan and 8 million US dollars as a grant from the Asian Development Bank are being attracted to develop animal husbandry. These funds will be primarily directed towards implementing this project.
Mirziyoyev supported the proposal to increase the volume of loans to 50 billion soms for creating livestock complexes with herds ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 head. He also mentioned that 1 trillion 600 billion soms was allocated in May to increase the livestock population.
