Uzbekistan To Become Self-Sufficient In Potato Production By 2027

By 2027, Uzbekistan aims to achieve complete self-sufficiency in potato production, a goal set by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a meeting on supporting farmers. Currently, the country relies on imports to meet its potato demand.

Potatoes are grown on 290,000 hectares of agricultural land in Uzbekistan, but their yield remains average. The President has instructed the development of high-yield potato varieties adapted to the local climate. Three mn tubers of these varieties will be distributed among the population and agricultural producers.

This year, the Uzbekistan Agricultural Support Fund will allocate UZS 400 bn for the development of potato farming.

Additionally, the President has ordered the suspension of customs duties on imported seed potatoes for the next three years.

From January to November 2024, the country imported 627,000 tonnes of potatoes worth $52.6 mn. The main suppliers to Uzbekistan were Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

However, at the end of January 2025, Kazakhstan imposed restrictions on potato exports due to rising domestic prices. This led to a sharp increase in potato prices in markets and supermarkets across Uzbekistan.