The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has concluded a successful trade mission to the Uzbek capital of Tashkent to explore opportunities and promote joint cooperation in agriculture.
The Chamber organised the trade mission in cooperation with the UAE Embassy in Uzbekistan, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the UAE, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, the Uzbekozikovkat Holding Company and the Municipality of Dubai, which has also collaborated with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in support of trade missions to four countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as supporting the Eurasia Food Export Conference held in Dubai during the Gulf Food Fair, Gulfood 2017.
These initiatives and activities have been carried out for the benefit of 550 companies in Eurasia, which have been provided with information on the most important technical requirements related to the export of food products to the UAE.
The delegation met with senior officials from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and executives of prominent agricultural companies in the country. There have also been business meetings held with Uzbek representatives from the public and private sectors.
The Chamber also organised an UAE-Uzbekistan food export seminar in Tashkent, attended by more than 90 participants, which aimed to highlight the main advantages of investment and trade in Dubai and familiarise participants with the most important guidelines and special requirements for importing foodstuffs and products to Dubai. The symposium was organized by 70 entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan and their counterparts from Dubai.
Speaking at the seminar were Omar Khan, Director of International Offices at Dubai Chamber, Nazira Dadakhanova, Deputy Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, and Mirabos Aslanov, Head of the Legal Department of the Export Support Fund of Uzbekistan.
Mr Khan pointed out that the expansion of direct flights between Dubai and Uzbekistan has helped to boost trade between the two sides. The value of non-oil trade between the two parties reached about 976 million dirhams during the first nine months of 2016, while the number of Uzbek companies registered in the Dubai Chamber has now exceeded 300.
He explained that Uzbekistan has established itself as a leading food producer in Central Asia and one of the largest exporters of agricultural goods and products in the region.
He pointed out that Uzbekistan's exports of fruits and vegetables grew by 38.3% in 2016, reaching 818,500 tonnes, and that this volume is expected to increase to 1.2 million tonnes by the end of this year.
"Uzbekistan has enormous agricultural potential to contribute to the food safety of the UAE," said Khan, adding that there are many investment opportunities available to Uzbek food companies interested in entering the Dubai market.
He pointed out that the UAE is one of the main export markets for many agricultural firms in Uzbekistan, where food and agricultural products account for a fifth of Dubai's imports from Uzbekistan. He pointed out that Uzbek products are famous for their high quality and that professionals in the country have the necessary know-how to deliver organic products, the demand for which is on the rise in the UAE.
The Director of International Offices in the Dubai Chamber said that Uzbekistan is currently focusing on diversifying its exports amid the current economic challenges in the Commonwealth of Independent States because of the devaluation of the Russian rouble.
He pointed out that the Uzbek government is expected to give a boost and develop its tourism and economic sector by attracting as much foreign investment as possible, setting up free zones and launching an electronic visa system that will facilitate tourism and enhance the ease of doing business.
The Uzbek government, business leaders and leaders in Uzbekistan have taken another major step towards boosting foreign trade by setting up the UzAgroExport Company in 2016, which specialises in exporting fresh and processed fruits and vegetables and facilitating contracts by finding food suppliers and ensuring the delivery of goods and the maintenance of high quality standards.
For her part, the Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan praised the efforts of the Dubai Chamber to promote the bilateral trade relations between Dubai and Uzbekistan, stressing that the country has great agricultural export potential. Dubai is a vital trade centre and could help diversify Uzbekistan's food exports.
Source: wam.ae
