Uzbekistan is expanding financial opportunities for business entities operating in the fisheries sector. This was established by the president’s Additional Measures for the Development of the Fisheries Industry decree.
According to the decree, from August 1 to 31, 2030, the "Business Development Company" joint-stock company will, through its Fund for Compensating Credit Interest Expenses, provide the following support to fisheries businesses regardless of their stability rating category:
- For loans issued in national currency at rates not exceeding twice the Central Bank's base rate, the portion of the rate exceeding the base rate by more than 4 percentage points but not more than 10 percentage points will be covered;
- For loans issued in foreign currency, the portion exceeding the base rate by more than 8 percentage points but not more than 4 percentage points will be covered;
- Guarantees will be provided covering up to 50% of loans in national and foreign currency, but not exceeding the equivalent of 10 billion soums.
Using funds raised by commercial banks from international financial institutions, preferential loans in national currency will be allocated to provide fishery enterprises with working capital, at an annual rate of 18%, secured by collateral, with a grace period of up to 9 months and a total term of up to 24 months.
Additionally, from August 1, 2026 to August 31, 2030, fishery farms engaged in intensive fish farming in artificial water reservoirs will receive support to equip their operations with alternative energy sources:
- For loans issued by commercial banks in national currency for the purchase and installation of solar panels, the portion of interest expenses exceeding 14 percentage points but not exceeding 10 percentage points will be covered;
- For installation of solar panels with capacity up to 50 kilowatts, 12% of related costs will be covered as a subsidy, not exceeding 1 million soums per kilowatt.
The document also stipulates that subsidies will be provided covering up to 50% of the cost of importing a single breeding female fish, not exceeding 5 million soums. For those implementing closed recirculating water system technology for fish farming, a one-time compensation will be provided covering 10% of total costs related to this technology, not exceeding 5 billion soums.
For newly launched projects producing balanced compound feed used in intensive fish farming, with an annual capacity of at least 20,000 tons, 20% of costs related to purchasing machinery and equipment will be covered, not exceeding 2 billion soums.
For qualified ichthyologists and fish disease specialists brought in from abroad, 50% of salary expenses will be covered, not exceeding the equivalent of $1,000 per specialist per month.
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