President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to the Forish district of the Jizzakh province today highlighted the development of the "Basalt Uzbekistan" cluster, mining basalt stone and manufacturing fiber as key drivers of industrial growth, presidential press service said.

Historically, Forish district was a cattle farming domain. However, seven years ago, the basalt stone mining and fiber production transformed the landscape. With investments totaling $498 mn and the advanced technologies from Germany, France, Italy, and the Czech Republic saw the establishment of six projects across 300 hectares, creating an industrial cluster.

President Mirziyoyev's previous visit in January 2019 prompted the expansion of the cluster. Currently, annual production figures stand at 177,000 tons of basalt stone, yielding 42 varieties of products, including special fiber, reinforcement, composite geonet, and heat-insulating plates. Notably, 45,000 tons of products worth UZS 554 bn ($44 mn) were produced last year, with 80% exported to various countries including the USA, UK, Italy, and Russia.

Basalt-based construction materials offer advantages such as rust resistance, lightweight durability, and resilience to environmental factors. During the visit, emphasis was placed on promoting collaboration with domestic and international partners, streamlining quality certification processes, and expanding market access.

The "Basfiber Trade" enterprise is set to increase production capacity, targeting an annual output of 25,000 tons of fiber and fabric from basalt stone. With $145 mn invested in state-of-the-art equipment, the enterprise aims to tap domestic and international demands, contributing to economic growth and job creation.

Government officials have been tasked with identifying 20 new high-value-added projects valued at $500 mn, with the potential to create 2,000 additional jobs within the industry.