Uzbekistan is planning to build a pulp and paper mill in Tashkent province by 2020. The new capacities will reduce imports and satisfy the country's needs in pulp and paper by producing high-quality products with advanced technologies and by rational use of local raw materials.

The mill, the construction of which will commence this year, will be engaged in deep processing of perennial (poplar and others) and one-year (stalks of cotton, topinambur, rice and wheat straw) plants. The project is initiated by Eco Paper Industry, with the National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU) acting as financial donor.

The plant will be designed to produce 16.5 thousand tons of pulp and paper products per year. The total project cost is estimated at 10.3 million dollars, of which 3.1 million dollars will be invested by Eco Paper Industry, and the remaining 7.2 million dollars - the NBU’s loan.

The Tashkent province governor will allocate two land plots for the project by October. One of them, 20 hectares, will host the production capacities, and the other, ​​900 hectares, will be used as a raw material base - the creation of plantations of wood, in particular poplar.

The authorities are envisaging to ensure the raw material base through allocating lands in each forestry for wood plantations of fast-growing varieties by the end of October.

The company will get an impressive list of benefits and preferences. It will be exempted from payment of land, property tax in the part of fixed production assets, and until January 1, 2025 - from payment of customs fees for imported process equipment and spare parts, as well as raw materials and components.