UzAgroInspection Revamps Cabinet Structure to Enhance Agricultural Oversight
President Mirziyoyev has recently approved the transfer of UzAgroInspection back to the Cabinet of Ministers from the Ministry of Agriculture, in a move that is set to enhance the agency’s regulatory powers within the agricultural industry. The decree, issued on October 22 and published on Lex.uz, outlines new responsibilities for the agency, giving it a more prominent role in controlling genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in imported seeds and improving grain certification standards.
Under its updated mandate, UzAgroInspection will now be tasked with detecting GMOs in imported seeds and planting materials, ensuring the quality and grading certification of wheat purchased by the State Agricultural Support Fund, and overseeing the accurate recording of natural loss during the storage and shipment of grain. Additionally, the agency will conduct inspections on the technical condition of agricultural, irrigation, and road construction equipment used throughout the country, carrying out both mandatory and periodic tests on machinery.
This decision to transfer UzAgroInspection follows a series of recent reforms aimed at centralizing key inspection functions under direct government oversight. In August, President Mirziyoyev moved UzEnergyInspection from the Ministry of Energy to the Cabinet, while in July, the State Construction Inspection was also brought under the direct supervision of the Cabinet.
Originally under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet, UzAgroInspection was moved to the Ministry of Agriculture in December 2022 as part of an administrative reform under the New Uzbekistan policy before its recent return to the Cabinet’s oversight. This move signifies a renewed focus on regulatory oversight within the agricultural sector, as the government continues its efforts to streamline and improve key inspection functions across various industries.
