“The issue of guaranteed supply of metallurgical enterprises with raw materials is very important. We need to find an answer to the question of how effectively we are able to use the existing potential and reserves to cover the shortage of metal raw materials. For example, 130 scrap-adapted plants operate at low capacity, while 56 have ceased operations. This issue is especially relevant in Karakalpakstan, Andijan, Jizzakh, Syrdarya and Fergana. It was not in vain that I attracted khokims to this event. Why don’t they think of adapting these enterprises to other types of raw materials?!

In order to meet the growing demand for rolled metal and sheet metal, it is necessary to support the creation of metal processing enterprises with modern technologies in all areas. For example, the metal production capacity in the republic is more than 2 million tons, and they are mainly located in the Tashkent, Samarkand, Namangan regions and in the city of Tashkent. However, in Khorezm, these capacities amount to 4.5 thousand tons, in Andijan - 7.5 thousand tons, in Bukhara - 8.5 thousand tons,” Kun.uz correspondent quotes the President as saying.

The head of state also stressed the need for large volumes of metal for relatively new areas of the economy.

“It is necessary to give priority to the production of products for industries that create high added value, including the automotive and mechanical engineering, energy, electrical industry, and modern metal structures. In the coming years, we plan to build a capacity of 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy. For a solar power plant with a capacity of 1 MW, 45 tons of metal structures are needed, and for a wind power plant - 120 tons of metal. That is, this industry will require at least 800,000 tons of metal,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.