According to the State Statistics Committee data, car imports fell sharply in 2020.

In January, Uzbeks imported foreign-made cars for $25.5 million. This is less by $28.4 million than in January last year, Spot writes.

Such a sharp decline can be explained by the fact that starting from January 1, 2020, Uzbekistan canceled tax privileges for the import of foreign-made cars which cost more than $40.000.

Uzavtosanoat previously said that they intend to compete with BMW and Toyota in the domestic market, because in 2019 the import of premium cars of these brands increased significantly.

For example, BMW imports in this segment grew by 400 times compared with 2018, Toyota – by 200 times.

The company also emphasized that they are not related in any way to the abolition of privileges for the import of foreign cars.

“We are a joint stock company, we are not an organization that creates the customs policy of Uzbekistan. Not a single ministry is able to change customs rates,” Rustam Kadirov, head of the strategic planning department of Uzavtosanoat, said in January.

Previously, it was reported that at first they wanted to abolish the privileges on the import of electric vehicles, but then changed their minds and, moreover, reset the customs duty on the import of electric buses, trucks and motorcycles.