Uzbekistan's GDP up 8.2% in Jan-Sept
TASHKENT. Oct 19 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan's GDP rose by 8.2% year-on-year in January-September 2012, Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev said at a government meeting on Friday.
He said that the state budget had been implemented in the nine months with a surplus of 0.3% of GDP. The inflation rate has not exceeded forecast parameters.
Total industrial output went by 7.2% in January-September, agricultural production - 7.1%, construction - 9.8%, services - 13.8%, retail turnover - 12.6%, and manufacturing of consumer goods - 7.5%
Investment in fixed assets went up by 9.8% in January-September, including foreign investment, up 9.6%. A total of 882 new production facilities have been commissioned and 106 investment projects have been realized.
Exports exceeded forecasts by 5.7% thanks to a "substantial surplus" in foreign trade.
Furthermore, 18,400 new small businesses have been registered since the start of the year, the GDP sharp of which increased to 51%. In addition, 773,000 new jobs were created, over 486,000 of which (62.9%) are in agriculture.
Uzbekistan's GDP increased by 8.3% in 2011 while inflation totaled 7.6%. The government forecasts GDP growth at 8.2% in 2012 with inflation to hold within 7%-9%.