Mall of Uzbekistan centers to open nationwide

Large Mall of Uzbekistan shopping centers, selling exclusively national textile and leather goods, will be established across the country, president announced. A National Brands Support Company will also be launched to certify quality and promote these products abroad.

Large Mall of Uzbekistan shopping centers, selling exclusively national textile and leather goods, will be opened in various regions of Uzbekistan/ with president Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced at a government meeting on Monday.

Today, there are over 4,000 enterprises in the country producing ready-made clothing, leather goods and footwear, but there are no shopping centers where this production is presented in one place and in a wide assortment, the head of the state said.

Shops in the new centers will be leased to entrepreneurs at a minimum price, he noted.

During the first four months of the current year, while Uzbekistan’s overall exports grew by 20%, textile exports amounted to only $825 million, which is $175 million less than in the same period last year.

“Most companies work on quality but cannot demonstrate it. Our products are sold very cheaply abroad due to their lack of recognition. The main key to showcasing product quality and bringing it to high-end markets is an international certificate,” the president stated.

Only 244 out of more than 1,500 large and medium-sized textile enterprises currently have such a certificate, Mirziyoyev said. He added that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry could visit each enterprise and help them obtain certification. This would increase added value and contribute to export growth.

The head of the state instructed that the number of certified enterprises be brought to 20 in Karakalpakstan, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Syrdarya, Surkhandarya and Khorezm regions, and to add 10 certificates in each of the other regions.

The president also stressed the need to increase the number of national brands and bring existing ones to the international level. To achieve this, the National Brands Support Company will be established.

This company will be tasked with attracting brand managers, designers, marketers and PR specialists from abroad. A minimum of 50 brands with international certification and high-quality, export-competitive products will be selected. They will be awarded a quality mark and a large-scale brand promotion campaign will be launched abroad.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev also announced that textile and leather-footwear enterprises where at least 15% of employees come from low-income families will be subject to a 2% profit tax rate and a 1% social tax rate.

For textile and leather enterprises, the employment quota for socially vulnerable citizens will be halved from the current 15%. In addition to citizens in need, employees with disabilities will now also be considered when granting benefits to these companies.

All information was obtained from the website www.gazeta.uz