INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 184

September 19, 2017

POLITICS
President of Uzbekistan has arrived in the USA

ECONOMY
Uzbekistan intends to reduce cotton crops by 140,000 hectares in two years in the framework of a targeted program

INVESTMENTS
Uzbekistan develops energy system

FINANCE
Message of the Central bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan

POLITICS

President of Uzbekistan has arrived in the USA
On September 18, 2017 the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in New York City to participate in the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.
Chairman of the American – Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce Carolyn Lamm met the head of our state at the international airport named after John Kennedy.
On September 19, Shavkat Mirziyoyev will deliver a speech at the general debate of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.
The President of our country will meet and hold negotiations with the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde, President of the World Bank Group Jim Yong Kim, leaders of other countries who arrived at the UN General Assembly, during his stay in New York.
The head of our state will also take part in Uzbekistan – US business forum.
(Source: UzA)

ECONOMY

Uzbekistan intends to reduce cotton crops by 140,000 hectares in two years in the framework of a targeted program
According to the document, the territory of cotton crops in the republic will gradually decrease in favor of fruit and berry crops. Over 40,000 hectares have been already reduced in the current year, and nearly 100,000 hectares are to be released for fruits and vegetables next year.
Naturally, experts are currently considering what kinds of crops to produce in order to obtain competitive products primarily for export.
The stabilization of prices in the domestic market is another side of the coin. This also requires the production of more fruits and vegetables. In this regard, Uzbekistan has taken unprecedented measures to support farmers with numerous benefits. For instance, the enterprises that specialize in processing of agricultural products, have been gives a chance to lease land for 50 years for the first time ever.
The pilot production of ‘white gold’ on a cluster basis is another innovation, which is aimed at optimization the cotton economy in the republic.
Textile enterprises rent land, sow, grow, harvest crops, process them and then export finished products. Two projects have been successfully following this practice: 8,000 hectares was allocated for the first project and 10,000 for the other.
It is expected that processing of fruits and vegetables in the republic will increase from the current 17% to 30% in the next five years. Cold storehouses will be established to store 200,000 tons of agricultural products. Moreover, aiming to increase the fruit and vegetable production, for the first time ever, Uzbekistan has introduced sowing of various crops throughout the year on an industrial scale since 2017.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

INVESTMENTS

Uzbekistan develops energy system
An up-to- date and developed energy system is an important factor in the context of improving the infrastructure of territories, upgrade of production, and introduction of new technologies in all sectors.
To this end, Uzbekistan has been doing much to further enhance the efficiency of the energy system, as demonstrated by the example of the joint-stock company Navoi Issiqlik Elektr Stantsiyasi. The company replaced the obsolete power plants with compact gas-vapor energy- saving plants.
“The construction of a combined-cycle plant has become an important stage in the active development of economic sectors in the region,” said Mr. Musaev, the leading engineer- technologist at the Navoi Issiqlik Elektr Stantsiyasi combined-cycle plant. “We successfully implemented a project on installation of a modern combined-cycle plant with a capacity of 478 megawatts at the power plant in 2009-2012. Generation of 1 kWh of electricity at the old station required an average of 360-400 grams of equivalent fuel, while the modern combined-cycle plant requires just 220-235 grams. As a result, we save 500 million cubic meters of natural gas per year.”
Employing nearly 2,000 people, the company attaches importance to the modernization of production. They addressed problems in the water cooling system of the 11th and 12th power units of the station, the capacity of each of which is 210 megawatts, making it possible to generate several million extra kW/h of energy per year.
A project on the construction of a new 450 MW power plant, totaling $547 million, is currently in progress. It is distinguished by a high efficiency index and the maximum amount of heat generation, while saving 530 million cubic meters of natural gas annually.
Young specialists are also engaged in the development of advanced energy-saving technologies and provision of stable operation of equipment. They are provided with overall support. Training centers and power engineering companies of the Japanese company Mitsubishi signed agreements on the exchange of experience and professional development. The establishment of a training center for specialists for thermal power plants is currently underway. It is estimated that it will provide training and retraining to 75 people every year.
Today, the new combined-cycle plant generates 40 gigacalories of heat energy per hour. The second similar plant with a capacity of 450 megawatts is capable of generating 200 gigacalories of heat energy per hour. This fully meets the region’s needs for heat energy.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

FINANCE

Message of the Central bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan
The Сentral Bank of the Republic Uzbekistan fixed the following rates of the foreign currencies to sum since September 19, 2017 to conduct bookkeeping, statistical and other statements on currency transactions as well as calculations of customs and other obligatory payments*.
1 US Dollar - 8077.48
1 Euro - 9646.13
1 Russian Ruble - 140.22
1 Pound Sterling - 10979.72
1 Japanese Yen - 72.68
1 South Korean Won - 7.17
1 Kuwaiti Dinar - 26826.57
1 Malaysian Ringgit - 1931.03
1 Yuan Renminbi - 1233.69
1 Singapore Dollar - 6010.92
1 Swiss Franc - 8414.92
1 UAE Dirham - 2199.15
1 Egyptian Pound - 457.91
1 Australian Dollar - 6484.60
1 Turkish Lira - 2350.70
1 Special Drawing Rights - 11465.18
1 Canadian Dollar - 6630.67
1 Ukrainian Hryvnia - 308.42
1 Polish Zloty - 2255.78
*Rates are fixed without obligations of the Central bank of Republic Uzbekistan to buy or sell currency at the given rate.
(Source: cbu.uz)

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