OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2009. The growth of the gross domestic product of Uzbekistan made up 7.9% in the first quarter of 2009, a session of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to summing up the results of the first three months of 2009 said.

The session said the industrial production increased by 9.9%, consumer goods production by 12.5%, agricultural production by 5.7%, services by 16.6% and construction works by 12.1%.

The state budget surplus made up 0.4% of the GDP, and the inflation level did not exceed the forecast.

Total volume of attracted investments increased by 31.4% in January-March and foreign direct investments grew 2.5 times. A total of 54 industrial objects were commissioned in the reporting period.

Share of the small business in the GDP increased from 35.1% in the first quarter of 2008 to 36.2% in the same period of 2009. Share of service sector in GDP comprised 45.5% against 44.4% in the last year's first quarter.

The session said exports of Uzbekistan rose by 6.1% in the reporting period.