September 9, 2010

Uzbekistan unveils poultry expansion plan

Uzbekistan has launched a programme that aims to increase poultry output by 12% to 60 million heads by 2015, announced deputy chairperson of the Poultry Association Pulat Rakhmattulaev.

Uzbekistan plans to achieve the substantial poultry production hike by opening new smaller production farms and has devoted US$24.5 million to the enterprise. It will also seek increased production from its large, existing farms.

The programme has already created 344 small, poultry-producing enterprises this year, which have created 2,000 new jobs, Rakhmattulaev said. Uzbekistan's poultry industry has also seen a 12% spike this year, with production totalling 33 million heads.

Rakhmattulaev foresees the creation of two to three new poultry firms in each district of Uzbekistan, each boasting between 5,000 and 10,000 hens.

The growth in poultry cultivation should also create jobs in processing and selling meat and eggs in stores.

In 2008, Uzbekistan initiated a programme to provide vegetable and fruit farms with livestock and chickens to expand the availability of meat and eggs. Under the programme, each cotton farm received 50 chickens and two cows.