NEWS

14.05.2026

Uzbekistan Reforms its Food Safety Control System: New Rules for the Sector and Opportunities for GR

At a government meeting on improving public administration in food safety and livestock support, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev set an ambitious direction for the sector. By 2030, Uzbekistan aims to increase food exports to $10 billion and expand its export geography by another 100 countries. To achieve this, the authorities plan to bring the food safety control system in line with international standards.

What is changing in the control system

A key element of the reform will be the creation of a Food Safety Committee. The new body will consolidate the functions of the Agency for Quarantine and Plant Protection, the Committee for Veterinary Development, and the relevant division of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare Committee. The system is expected to operate on a full-cycle principle — from raw material production to finished goods. The committee is expected to be headed by Uzbekistan’s presidential representative on WTO accession matters, Azizbek Urunov.

At the same time, the government plans to abolish mandatory food product certification. It will be replaced by a risk-based control system. An electronic mechanism for rapid alerts on unsafe products and their withdrawal from the market is also expected to be introduced.

By March 2027, a unified automated information platform is expected to be launched and integrated with the border control “single window” system. According to government estimates, this will reduce inspection times: from 9 to 2 days for imports and from 3 to 1 day for exports.

Another major block of the reform is the transition to international food safety standards. Large enterprises will gradually adopt risk assessment systems and the standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, developed under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Coverage of such standards is expected to increase from the current 20% to full industry-wide adoption by 2032.

The reform also provides for the gradual transfer of certain state functions to the private sector. Starting in 2027, laboratory testing, animal vaccination, disinfection, and identification will be progressively outsourced to private operators.

In addition, from 2029, exports of fruit and vegetable products are expected to be routed exclusively through agro-logistics centers. Export statistics will be recorded based on the region of cultivation. A digital online monitoring system will also be introduced for selected agricultural products, while the mobile app “Agro Kumakchi” will include a “Field Diary” feature with AI-based recommendations for pest control.

What this means for business and GR

The meeting highlighted that the current control system is largely focused on inspecting finished products. The reform shifts the emphasis toward implementing food safety standards across the entire production chain.

One of the key drivers of change is Uzbekistan’s preparation for accession to the World Trade Organization. In the long term, this should improve access for Uzbek products to new markets. However, during the implementation phase, businesses will likely need to engage more actively with regulators to adapt to the new requirements.

The creation of a unified Food Safety Committee may simplify regulatory approvals. At the same time, competition for influence over the new regulator is expected to intensify. In this environment, companies that proactively adopt internationally recognized food safety management systems and voluntary industry standards are likely to gain a strategic advantage.

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