Sugar import quotas: from 2027 food producers will be allowed to import 300,000 tonnes a year, with quotas sold at auction

The government will cap white sugar imports for the food industry with an annual quota of 300,000 tonnes. Quotas will be sold through electronic auctions. At the same time, local sugar mills are promised tax relief and loan deferrals.

The measure is set out in Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 417 of 30 July 2026. The document is classified "for official use only" and has not been published on lex.uz: its content was reported on 26 October by Gazeta.uz and Spot, which obtained a copy. The quotas apply from 1 January 2027.

How the quotas will work

• total volume: 300,000 tonnes of white sugar a year;
• 100,000 tonnes each for producers of beverages, confectionery and other food products;
• the Cabinet approves next year's volume in November and may revise it every six months;
• an online auction platform linked to the Customs Committee's Single Window system must be launched by 1 December 2026.

The published summaries do not say which duties will apply within and above the quota.

What local mills get

• repayment of Uzpromstroybank loans can be extended to up to five years, including a grace period of up to two years;
• from 1 August 2026 to 1 August 2031, the Entrepreneurship Development Company may cover half of the interest on foreign-currency loans, capped at 5 percentage points;
• the Ministry of Economy and Finance must draft Tax Code amendments exempting mills from profit tax until 1 January 2031;
• from 1 January 2027, state bodies must give priority to local sugar in procurement, and mills must sell all output through the commodity exchange.

Market reaction

Economists and industry associations warn that the quota is well below actual imports. According to customs data, about 650,000 tonnes of sugar and raw sugar were imported in the first nine months of 2026. Critics fear higher prices for sugar and for products that contain it.

What this means in practice. If your company imports white sugar to make beverages, confectionery or other food products, from 2027 you will have to plan imports around the quota and take part in auctions. Watch for the platform launch by 1 December 2026 and for the volume the Cabinet approves in November. Budget for a possible rise in sugar prices in 2027 and review long-term supply contracts in advance.

Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)