The new agrological center sets big goals for itself

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the agrologistic complex of the BMB Holding in Sharaf Rashidov district of Jizzakh region.

Uzbekistan has a high potential for agricultural exports. Agricultural centers are essential here, covering all stages of crop harvesting, storage, processing, and sale.

Among them is the BMB Holding complex, launched in December of last year. The total cost of the project exceeds $57 million. The complex can store 10,000 tons and process 8,000 tons of agricultural products per year. 180 people are permanently employed here.

The Head of state inspected the work process at the enterprise and the products ready for export.

Fruits and vegetables arrive at the logistics center from Jizzakh region and neighboring regions. Last year, the agricultural cluster of the BMB Holding system entered into contracts with more than 1,200 farmers for the supply of over 52 thousand tons of crops.

Based on Saykhunabad’s experience this year, cooperation will be established with 2,485 households. Agricultural products will also be grown on 14.5 thousand hectares of land from about 4 thousand farms. As a result, more than 32 thousand seasonal jobs will be created in the cluster system.

The complex includes phytosanitary and sanitary-epidemiological laboratories, a customs point, a bank branch, and a dormitory. The laboratory has 34 modern instruments from Russia, China, the United States, and Germany.

The products undergo quarantine control here. It is essential that the phytosanitary certificates issued are recognized in 119 countries.

Such opportunities increase the company’s export potential and geography. Nearly $43 million of products have been shipped to Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, and China. According to plans, the export volume should reach $58 million this year.

The President emphasized the need to create similar agrological centers in other regions, assign specific fields and mahallas to them, ensure a sufficient volume of raw materials for entrepreneurs, and guarantee the purchase of products from the population.

It is worth noting that the company, founded in 2017, today includes 4 joint ventures and 26 subsidiaries implementing investment projects worth almost $1.5 billion.

In particular, the Uzbekistan – Italy joint venture BMB Opera Zafferano created a saffron plantation with an area of 400 hectares. The manufactured products are USDA ORGANIC certified and are exported to Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, France, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. Also received FDA clearance to enter the United States market.

In the next three years, it is planned to increase investments in the project to 80 million euros, saffron production – from 1.8 tons to 20 tons. The Head of state approved these plans and gave instructions to increase the area of saffron cultivation and its export.