OREANDA-NEWS. The IX International Uzbek Cotton and Textile Fair, organized at the initiative of President Islam Karimov, started on 16 October in Tashkent.

The annual International Uzbek Cotton and Textile Fair demonstrates highly competitive and powerful potential of Uzbekistan's economy. This year it has been held for the ninth time and has acquired the status of one of the major international economic forums. Representatives of the cotton and textile industries, traders from many countries have come to our country to participate at the fair. They will discuss the trends and prospects of international cooperation in the development of this important sector of the economy, price fluctuations at the international markets, will be able to see the results policies of intensification of cotton and textile sector, implemented in Uzbekistan and to conclude direct contracts for the supply of products.

The development dynamics of Uzbekistan in the years of independence, in particular, the country's achievements in creating a productive and cost-effective market economy, demonstrates the effectiveness and accuracy of the “Uzbek model” of reforms, developed by President Islam Karimov, was pointed out at the opening of the fair. Only since 2000 Uzbekistan's GDP has grown 3.1 times, primarily due to the production increase in all key sectors. Exports, in which the proportion of finished products with high added value has been steadily increasing, rose by 4.4 times during this period. Uzbekistan continues to expand its participation in world economic relations, including trade in high-quality cotton fiber and textiles, popular in the international market. Foreign businesses are showing great interest in the expansion of commercial, industrial and investment cooperation with our country, where they are attracted by sustainability and stability of the national economy. Deep thoughtfulness and foresight of the reform, carried out in Uzbekistan, has once again been confirmed by the outbreak of the 2008 global financial and economic crisis that continues to this day, which has caused the stagnation and decline of production in most countries of the world. In contrast, in Uzbekistan, under the leadership of President Islam Karimov, measures have been promptly taken to minimize and overcome the consequences of the crisis. As a result, the growth of the national economy over the past six years, including the current year, has consistently exceeded 8 percent.

Significant contribution to the economic development of the country is made by a modern complex of production, processing and sale of cotton products that meet the highest international standards. This was made possible thanks to the fact that, immediately after independence, President Islam Karimov has set a target to fundamentally change one-sided , raw-material orientation of the economy, that existed in the old days. Today the cotton- textile sector has been developing in this direction. The process is not based on previous extensive methods, involving an increase in cotton growing areas, but on improving the efficiency of production through the introduction of modern agricultural technologies, breeding varieties with the best customer properties, creating all the necessary material and technical conditions, including soft loans and secured procurement for cotton farmers farmers. Profound structural changes, systemic modernization, technical and technological re-equipment of all production units, accelerated development of the infrastructure have been made and modern market mechanisms have been widely adopted. All this is directly reflected in the growth of cotton fiber quality and forms the opportunities for deep processing within the country up to finished textile products, increasing their range and volume of production.

Uzbekistan is one of the leaders in the world cotton market. Our cotton fiber enjoys increasing demand , so from year to year, the number of participants in the International Uzbek Cotton and Textile Fair, interested in expanding business contacts with Uzbek partners, only rises. If the first fair in 2005 was attended by representatives of about 170 traders and textile companies from 30 countries, in the present, the ninth, over 1000 representatives of cotton and textile companies from 40 countries are taking part. The geography of export of Uzbek cotton and textiles have been rapidly increasing, which are now available in South East Asia and South Asia that have booming textile industries, Europe and other regions, including the CIS countries .

I participate each year in the International Uzbek Cotton and Textile Fair and it is an honor for me, - said the managing director the "Cotton Outlook" international news agency R.Butler. - Tashkent Fair is now firmly established in the international cotton market. Our agency regularly publishes quotes for Uzbek cotton, the quality of which meets all international standards and satisfies the broadest customer demand. Despite the uncertainties and challenges in the global cotton market due to the ongoing global economic crisis, Uzbekistan remains stable on it its leading position. Characteristically, exports of yarn and other textile products has been growing.

Today several fast breeding cotton varieties with increased yield, fiber length and clarity, resistant to diseases and agricultural pests that are adapted to the climatic characteristics of various regions of the country, are grown in Uzbekistan. 20 new varieties having similar properties have been regionalized recently. This year, the proportion of “top” and “high” fiber classes has been over 90 percent.

Uzbekistan is one of the largest suppliers of fiber in China and plays a huge role in the development of our textile industry, - said chairman of the Chinese company "Xinjiang Yinlong Imternational Agrisultural Cooperation" V.Lyan. - Ten years of successful collaboration is the best evidence of the fact that Uzbekistan is a reliable partner that provides not only an excellent fiber quality, but also its timely delivery, including through the established system of logistics.

In their speeches, the chief editor of the international agency "Cotton Bangladesh" K.Ahsan, a representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) D.Li , Director General of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation K.Shindler, Deputy Minister of Textile Industry of India Z.Chatterji, the founder of the Swiss company "Swiss Capital International AG" M.Valdvogen and others stressed that cooperation with Uzbekistan has great potential. A favorable investment climate, security of supply and transportation, a flexible price policy makes Uzbekistan one of the top destinations in this regard.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev spoke at the opening of the IX International Uzbek Cotton and Textile Fair.