The Uzbek Minister of Agriculture Jamshid Khodjaev called for avoiding quotas for agricultural products in the CIS markets.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, within the framework of the meeting of the Intergovernmental Council on the CIS agro-industrial complex, a number of issues were discussed, among which was the issue of simplifying the procedures for import of agricultural products between the CIS member states, said Jamshid Khojaev.

“About 70-80% of our supplies go to the CIS countries. Uzbek grapes, cabbage, tomatoes, apricots, apples, persimmons and other 37 items of fruits and vegetables, the CIS countries are the main buyers. At the same time, in order to avoid an over or under supply deficit in the markets for some food items in the CIS countries, it is important to coordinate the efforts of the participating states to exchange reliable data on the volume of crops cultivation," Khojaev suggested to the meeting participants.

Also, as a fundamentally important point, he outlined the need to avoid quotas, which will leave the markets of the CIS countries open and free for stable mutual trade in agricultural products. Disruptions in trade due to the introduction of export restrictions, according to the minister, can result in higher prices for a number of socially important food products.

At the end of his remarks, Khodjaev suggested that the member states of the Intergovernmental Council on the CIS Agro-Industrial Complex to create a unified technical standard or regulations for the functioning of food wholesale and logistics centers in order to establish a close connection between all wholesale depots and agrological centers of the CIS countries.

“This will undoubtedly make it possible to swifttly respond to recurring shortages in the food markets and further strengthen the food security of all countries of the Commonwealth,” the minister stressed.

Following the speech of Jamshid Khodjayev, the Intergovernmental Council on the CIS Agro-Industrial Complex recommended that the members of the Council, by March 1, 2021, send to the Secretariat proposals on simplifying the procedures for the import of agricultural products between the CIS member states to prepare an appropriate plan. The draft plan is planned to be considered at the next meeting of the council.