The meeting of the co-chairs of the Uzbek-Russian Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Economic Cooperation, the Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov and Minister of Economic Development of Russia Maxim Reshetnikov, took place in Tashkent on September 26, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation reported.
At the meeting, the results of joint work on the Agroexpress project were announced, which provides for regular and fast delivery of agricultural products in a refrigerated train along the Tashkent-Moscow route.
“Now the preparation of the project is at the final stage. We have worked out procedures for swift passage of goods, as well as special tariffs for railway transportation, - said Maxim Reshetnikov. “We hope that the first pilot supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from Uzbekistan will take place in November this year, and Agroexpress will start operating on a permanent basis in December”.
According to the Minister of Economic Development, in the future, this will help provide the domestic market of Russia with high-quality products in the off-season and will contribute to ensuring food security and stabilizing prices. “Russia will export the products of its agro-industrial complex to Uzbekistan with the same trains,” added Maxim Reshetnikov.
Speaking about the intergovernmental commission, Maxim Reshetnikov said that most of the instructions, which are of a long-term nature, are being actively worked out by the relevant departments of Uzbekistan and Russia. “Among them were important issues that had not been resolved for a long time. They are associated with trade barriers, with excise taxes that were levied on the import of Russian products into Uzbekistan, with the construction of a number of facilities. To date, they have been resolved, ”he stressed.
Another topic of the meeting was the preparation for Uzbekistan's entry into the World Trade Organization. Maxim Reshetnikov expressed the readiness of the Ministry of Economic Development to provide expert support to the Uzbek partners. It was decided that a meeting of the working group on Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO will take place in December.
