OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCTION COSTS OF MEAT

Abstract The livestock sector constitutes approximately 13 percent of Uzbekistan's GDP and nearly 50 percent of its agricultural GDP, with domestic farms accounting for roughly 90 percent of national meat output. Despite sustained production growth—from 2.70 million tons of meat in live weight in 2022 to 2.90 million tons in 2024—the cost of production has escalated sharply, driven primarily by surging feed prices, land constraints, low mechanization, and fragmented farm structures. This article examines the structure and dynamics of meat production costs in Uzbekistan over the period 2022–2024, identifies the principal drivers of cost increases, and proposes an integrated optimization framework grounded in feed base development, genetic improvement, farm consolidation, mechanization, and digital technologies. Using official statistical data, field survey evidence, and comparative international experience, the study demonstrates that a comprehensive approach could reduce unit production costs by 30–40 percent over a medium-term horizon, with significant implications for food security, inflation, and rural income. Keywords: meat production costs; livestock economics; Uzbekistan agriculture; feed optimization; farm efficiency; cost structure; dehkan farms; livestock sector reform

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