TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekistan is aiming to increase the share of e-commerce in retail trade to 9–11%, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek president.
The target was announced during a meeting presided over by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, where proposals for accelerating the growth of e-commerce and developing bonded warehouse infrastructure were presented.
Currently, e-commerce constitutes 4-4.6% of Uzbekistan's retail trade, which is approximately five times lower than the global average of 22%.
To strengthen the sector, significant focus was placed on the creation of bonded warehouses. These facilities would allow the storage of imported goods under customs control, with deferred payment of duties and taxes, facilitating smoother trade processes.
Additionally, the introduction of a system in which customs duties are paid at the point of sale was highlighted as a potential strategy to improve the investment climate. This measure could attract at least $500 million in investments.
Such customs mechanisms are already widely implemented in countries such as Russia, China, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Singapore.
Notably, Uzbekistan’s e-commerce market has expanded twentyfold over the past eight years, reaching a value of $1.3 billion.