Uzbekistan’s poultry sector showed strong momentum in the first nine months of 2025 — but not quite enough to meet the government’s bold target of producing 1 million tonnes of poultry meat this year and turning the country into a net broiler exporter.
According to fresh data from the National Statistical Committee, Uzbekistan imported 54,600 tonnes of poultry meat between January and September 2025, marking a 14.2% increase over the same period last year. The bulk of these imports came from Russia, Turkey, and Belarus, with smaller consignments from Belgium and the Netherlands.
Production Growth Continues but Lags Behind Targets
Uzbekistan has been pushing aggressively to expand its poultry sector, following President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s directive in January to scale annual production from last year’s 800,000 tonnes to 1 million tonnes in 2025.
Despite notable progress, the goal remains elusive. As of 1 October:
- The national poultry population rose 8.7% to 110 million birds
- Total meat and poultry output increased 2.7%, reaching 2.17 million tonnes
- Egg production grew 6.2% to 6.7 million pieces, far below the government’s ambitious 10.5 billion pieces target
These figures suggest that while the sector is expanding, the pace falls short of the rapid growth envisioned at the beginning of the year.
Export Performance Still Unclear
Though Uzbekistan lifted poultry export restrictions in July 2024 to support industry expansion, the government has shared no official data on poultry export volumes in 2025 so far.
Earlier this year, President Mirziyoyev set a revenue target of US$180 million from poultry exports in 2025 — another benchmark that may be increasingly difficult to achieve amid rising domestic demand and higher import reliance.
Government Support Remains Strong
Uzbekistan has implemented some of Central Asia’s most generous poultry development initiatives:
- Since 1 April, all poultry farms receive a 50% VAT reimbursement
- A US$50 million support package has been rolled out to strengthen small and medium-scale farmers
- The state aims to create up to 1 million jobs, particularly in backyard and independent farming
- Plans are underway to encourage consolidation by assisting larger farms in acquiring smaller, less efficient producers
- Cooperative models between farmers and processors are being promoted to streamline the supply chain
These initiatives highlight the government’s determination to reshape the industry into a globally competitive, export-driven sector.
Conclusion
Uzbekistan’s poultry sector is expanding steadily, supported by substantial investments and favourable policies. However, the country’s rising import dependence and slower-than-expected production growth suggest that achieving the 2025 targets — especially the 1 million–tonne production goal — remains a challenge.