As reported by Spot, Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on February 14 to promote the production of agricultural products in dekhkan and household farms.
A support fund for dekhkan farms and owners of household plots will be established under the Ministry of Employment. This fund will operate separately from the farmer support fund that functions under the auspices of the Farmers' Council of Uzbekistan.
The fund will receive 300 billion soums from the reorganized farmer support fund, as well as 1 trillion soums from resources placed in banks for financing targeted programs. Additionally, it will obtain 50 billion soums planned for allocation from the Fund for Public Financing.
Each year, the new fund will allocate grants for the implementation of exemplary and innovative projects on household plots in 500 mahallas. The maximum grant amount will be 100 BRV (37.5 million soums).
Experienced dekhkans will be reimbursed for part of their expenses for conducting training courses in agriculture, up to 15 BRV (5.625 million soums). Furthermore, if 50% of households in their mahalla organize the cultivation of export-oriented products, they will receive a subsidy of up to 100 million soums.
Funds from the fund will also be directed towards preferential lending for projects related to the cultivation, processing, storage, and packaging of products. Funding is planned for a term of up to 7 years at a rate of 4% above the Central Bank's base rate.
The fund will assist citizens in acquiring leasing of ready-made greenhouses, cold storage facilities, and equipment for drying, packaging, and processing products. The leasing term will be 5 years, with a 2-year grace period.
Additionally, the decree outlines measures of influence for owners of household farms and tenants who do not utilize the land at their disposal (except in cases of force majeure). Monitoring will be conducted quarterly by the assistants of the hokim through the Online Mahalla system.
If a plot is abandoned or not fully sown considering climatic conditions, the land tax amount for the year will be increased by 3 times. The land user will not be eligible for preferential loans under government programs.
For individuals listed in the Unified Social Protection Register, the social benefits will be suspended if the land is not used. Access to support measures will be restored once the land user organizes effective use of the land.
Starting in 2026, as part of an experiment, a tax cashback for dekhkans and household farms in the Namangan region is planned to be introduced. If their income from one centner of land exceeds 25 BRV (9.375 million soums), they will receive a 90% refund of the paid land tax.
Previously, Spot reported that farmers would receive subsidies for the purchase of seedlings for planting along fields.