Uzbekistan denies information about the import of artificial rice from China
Uzbekistan, Tashkent - AN Podrobno.uz. Video messages appeared on social networks that the rice imported to Tashkent from China was artificial and made of cellophane. The Customs Committee denied this information, reports a Podrobno.uz correspondent.
“Such messages circulated on social networks are not true. Rice imported into our country is checked for the absence of various pests and insects, as well as especially dangerous and other infections. It is allowed to import a product into Uzbekistan only if it is found suitable for consumption or cultivation based on the conclusion of the relevant organizations,” UzA reports citing Nurbek Salomov, head of the press service of the Customs Committee.
The Agency for Quarantine and Plant Protection also reported that cellophane rice was not imported into our country.
According to information received from the Ministry of Agriculture , more than 100 thousand hectares are sown with rice every year in Uzbekistan. And the annual consumption of rice per capita is 9.8 kilograms, that is, to provide for the population of the republic, 353 thousand tons of rice are needed annually.
In 2022, 105.8 thousand hectares of rice were sown in the republic and 516.9 thousand tons of shala (unhusked rice) were grown, the harvest amounted to 310 thousand tons of rice. It turns out that the country produces 43 thousand tons of rice less compared to the needs of the population.
In 2022, Uzbekistan imported eight thousand tons of rice, and in 2023 - 53.5 thousand tons of rice, 10 thousand tons of rice were imported in excess of consumption.
Rice imports by country were distributed as follows: 29.3 thousand tons (54.7%) were received from Kazakhstan, 23.2 thousand tons (43.3%) were received from Pakistan, 599 tons (1.1%) were received from Thailand. from Turkey -265 tons (0.5%), from India - 126 tons (0.2%). 21.1 tons (0.02%) of rice was imported from other countries.
