Food sectors face a year of great opportunities

In the current conditions of the global crisis and pandemic, agriculture has the greatest opportunities for ensuring employment and incomes of the population, maintaining economic stability.

According to international experts, as a result of the pandemic, the number of the starving population will increase by 2 times and reach 1 billion 600 million.

Our country has large reserves both to fully ensure domestic demand and to increase exports. Over the past three years, all the issues necessary to increase interest in farming, in other words, to enrich farmers and farmers, have been resolved. Now, responsible managers and farmers need to work in a new way to get more crop and profit.

This year will be a serious test for representatives of the agricultural and food sectors and at the same time provide them with great chances. No matter how long the pandemic and quarantine last, the need for food in the population will not decrease. Therefore, the task is set to double increase the volume of procurement of products in horticulture and livestock.

At the meeting it was noted that 55 districts specialized in horticulture, 86 clusters and 125 cooperatives should act as a locomotive in this direction. The need for the effective use of each span of orchards and vineyards, including the space between rows, repeated areas, to obtain 2-3 crops is indicated.

The Ministry of Agriculture, the Agency for the Development of Horticulture and Greenhouse Management and the Agency for the Development of Viticulture and Winemaking have been identified as responsible for organizing the planting of vegetables, melons and other crops.

The Ministry of the Interior was entrusted with ensuring the unhindered movement of vehicles involved in agriculture and production, following the rules of quarantine.

To increase the volume of harvesting, it is necessary to fully develop this year 124 thousand hectares of land reclaimed

Currently, 3 thousand hectares of Bakhmal, 5 thousand hectares of Kushrabat, 2 thousand hectares of the Besharyk districts withdrawn from circulation, wells have been built and the start of the breakdown of orchards and vineyards. The importance of the implementation of similar projects in other regions, the development of rainfed lands was noted.

For these purposes, 300 billion soums will be allocated to the funds of the Agency for the Development of Horticulture and Greenhouse, and the Agency for the Development of Viticulture and Winemaking. New orchards, vineyards and greenhouses will be leased to the population for up to 7 years with a three-year grace period.

In addition, it is planned to sell the developed land on a rental basis for a period of 5-10 years with the condition of harvesting a certain type of food product. The proceeds from this will be used to develop new lands.

The meeting analyzed the problem of supplying seeds and fertilizers.

Currently, 25-30 percent of the seeds are imported from abroad, the rest is harvested by farmers.

If in China 30-40 centners of crop are obtained from leguminous crops, then in Uzbekistan this figure does not exceed 20 centners, and in some regions it is even less - 7-8 centners.

It is indicated that interruptions in the supply of seeds are unacceptable in a pandemic.

About 300 thousand tons of potatoes are imported into our country annually, including 10-15 thousand tons of seed. In this regard, Kurgantepa, Bakhmal, Zaamin, Shakhrisabz, Kitab, Yangikurgan, Bulungur, Bostanlyk districts will be specialized in the harvesting of seed potatoes.

Another problem is that 255 thousand tons of phosphorus and 290 thousand tons of nitrogen fertilizers are needed for the needs of the fruit and vegetable sector. In addition, the sale of fertilizers through the exchange creates a number of difficulties for farmers.

In this regard, the Joint-Stock Company Uzkimyosanoat was instructed to organize points of sale of fertilizers in 55 districts specialized in horticulture.

- Before planting crops there is not enough time. If we do not complete this work within ten days, then it will be too late. There will be no funds, there will be no landings, the head of state noted.

With this in mind, an instruction was given to introduce a separate financing system for the procurement and purchase of fruits and vegetables.

In the second half of April it will be possible to harvest tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, and in May cherries and apricots will ripen. These goods account for 60-70 percent of exports.

Responsible persons were instructed to accurately calculate the export of fruits and vegetables in the context of districts and farms, and in a short time to solve related issues that may arise in a pandemic.

In our country, special attention is paid to the development of animal husbandry. Decisions were adopted on the relevant specialization of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Akhangaran district of Tashkent region. A unique mechanism for stimulating the industry has been established: subsidies in the amount of up to 2 million soums for the cultivation of pedigree cattle, 400 thousand soums for thoroughbred sheep and goats have been introduced. On the ground, modern livestock complexes are being commissioned.

The President noted that from now on, along with an increase in production, it is necessary to replace imports.

The goal is to increase the number of feed producing enterprises, family animal husbandry cooperatives. In each region, farms for the feeding and sale of young pedigree cattle will be organized.

Strengthening the feed base and developing cooperation with the population is also required in poultry farming.

At the meeting, it was noted that the experience of poultry rearing on the basis of household cooperation would be widely introduced. At the same time, the poultry farm will provide families with three-day chickens and food. Forty days later, the co-operation will centrally purchase the prepared meat.

As you know, the necessary legal framework has been created for fish farming. Last year, 200 thousand tons of fish were harvested in the country.

Intensive fish farming is established in only 0.6 percent of artificial reservoirs with an area of ??38 thousand hectares. Moreover, their level of productivity remains low.

At the meeting, instructions were given to bring the volume of fish harvesting to 350 thousand tons this year, increase the efficiency of the use of artificial reservoirs, develop intensive fish farming, organize fish farms and processing enterprises.

Regarding the beekeeping industry, it was noted that it is important to increase the harvest of honey by 5 times this year, to fully utilize the possibilities of forestry for this. The tasks of creating beekeeping clusters based on the distribution of bee hives to the population with further purchase of manufactured products are determined.

One of the reserves for ensuring rural employment at home is sericulture. Considering that this year it is planned to feed 382 thousand boxes of silkworm caterpillars, this will ensure employment of at least 750 thousand people.

The Uzbekipaksanoat Association and the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations are tasked with effectively organizing this work, stimulating families with high yields.

"As a result of these measures, we will achieve providing thousands of our citizens with work and increasing their incomes." Every minister, head of the sector should be aware of this with his heart and answer to his conscience the question: what is my role in ensuring the country's food security? - said the President.

The leaders of agricultural sectors, khokims of the regions reported on the issues discussed at the video conference. The work of the responsible persons and khokims of the regions assigned to the regions, carried out by them during the pandemic, has been subjected to critical review.

Source and Photo Courtesy of UZ Daily

Source: UZ Daily