In 2025, 150 enterprises in Kashkadarya region produced chemical products worth UZS 2.7 trillion, representing an increase of 193.6% compared with 2017. This included polyethylene production worth UZS 1.8 trillion at the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex.
Production of potassium chloride amounted to UZS 822 billion, paints and coatings to UZS 28 billion, lubricants to UZS 25 billion, detergents to UZS 10 billion, oxygen to UZS 3 billion, and alcohol to UZS 1.5 billion.
The largest numbers of chemical enterprises are located in Karshi city (35 enterprises), Kitab district (25), Yakkabag district and Shakhrisabz city (13 each), Mubarek and Shakhrisabz districts (12 each), and Kasan district (10).
By production activity, 27 enterprises manufacture plastic sheets, strips, and pipes; 23 produce soap, detergents, and cleaning products; and 19 manufacture paints, varnishes, and mastics.
The industry employs 6,400 people. The Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex accounts for 56% of employment, while the Dekhkanabad Potash Plant accounts for 32%. Labor productivity averages UZS 422 million per employee, including UZS 294.9 million at the Dekhkanabad Potash Plant and UZS 1.06 billion at the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex.
In 2025, the region’s chemical exports reached $46 million, increasing fourfold compared with 2024. Exported products include petroleum products, mineral fertilizers, chemical salts, adhesives, paints and coatings, detergents, cosmetics, and perfumes.
The main export markets are China (69%), Japan (8.5%), Türkiye (8.2%), Argentina (7.1%), and Latvia (5%).
By 2030, the introduction of new potassium compounds, liquid mineral fertilizers, household chemicals, and other products is expected to increase exports to $100 million, while expanding access to markets in Central Asia and Europe.
In 2025, total demand for chemical products in Kashkadarya region amounted to UZS 6.6 trillion. Agricultural and industrial enterprises accounted for UZS 5 trillion, while household demand amounted to UZS 1.6 trillion.
Local production currently meets 68% of total demand.
According to projections, annual demand for chemical products in the region is expected to reach UZS 9 trillion by 2030 and exceed UZS 12 trillion by 2035.
The agricultural sector’s annual demand for mineral fertilizers is estimated at approximately 216,000 tonnes, including 152,000 tonnes of nitrogen fertilizers, 51,000 tonnes of phosphate fertilizers, and 13,000 tonnes of potash fertilizers.
Annual demand for crop protection products is estimated at 270 tonnes, including 222 tonnes of herbicides, 26 tonnes of fungicides, and 22 tonnes of insecticides.
These indicators point to opportunities to expand domestic chemical production and introduce new types of fertilizers and crop protection products.
Kashkadarya region has substantial mineral resources that can support the development of its chemical industry.
The region has 194 registered non-metallic mineral deposits, of which 163 have been developed. These include 42 deposits supplying brickmaking materials, 3 gypsum deposits, 3 bentonite clay deposits, 2 pegmatite deposits, 4 cement raw material deposits, 1 deposit supplying raw materials for porcelain products, 7 deposits supplying glassmaking materials, and 101 deposits supplying construction stone and other non-metallic materials.
The main mineral resources relevant to the chemical industry are concentrated in Dekhkanabad district, which contains 49.5 million tonnes of potash salts, 1.3 billion tonnes of mineral salts, 200,000 tonnes of bromine, and 9 million tonnes of bentonite clay.
These resources provide opportunities to develop production of potash fertilizers, potassium hydroxide, potassium chloride, chlor-alkali products, industrial salt, bromine-based reagents, and drilling materials.
According to preliminary calculations, processing 1 million tonnes of salt annually could support an industrial production chain comprising 570,000 tonnes of caustic soda, 500,000 tonnes of chlorine, and more than 1 million tonnes of PVC products.
Additional mineral resources include 23.5 million tonnes of dolomite in Kamashi district, 2 million tonnes of quartz sand in Yakkabag district, and 39.5 million tonnes of limestone and 2.5 million cubic meters of marble and marble limestone in Kitab district.
These deposits create opportunities to expand glass manufacturing, silicate chemistry, construction chemicals, and mineral filler production.
A total of 28 investment projects worth $2.762 billion have been developed to support the chemical industry in Kashkadarya region.
These comprise 5 industry-level projects worth $2.128 billion and 23 regional projects worth $634 million.
Implementation of these projects is expected to introduce production of more than 20 new types of chemical products.
The projects are expected to generate an additional UZS 2.5 trillion in annual production of high-value-added chemical products, support more than $100 million in exports, and create 1,600 new jobs.
In particular, 10 investment projects, including 7 medium-sized and 3 large-scale projects, have been developed as part of the proposed Mubarek Innovation Industrial Zone.
Major projects include a $110 million glass fiber and composite materials production facility, a $100 million PET fiber and yarn production facility, and a $40 million full-cycle nonwoven materials production project.
Medium-sized projects cover the production of SNF superplasticizers, epoxy paints and coatings, reactive dyes, BOPET film, PVC-based cable compounds and medical tubing, CPVC sheets, PVC sealants, and heat-shrink films.
The region’s energy infrastructure also provides a foundation for new industrial projects. In 2024, installed power generation capacity stood at 2,295 MW, with plans to increase it to 4,225 MW by 2028.
The analysis also resulted in proposals to improve industrial infrastructure and establish ready-to-use production facilities for investors.
One proposal involves establishing the Bunyodkor Technopark on a 40-hectare site of a former oil-processing plant in Kasan district.
Under the Ready-Build mechanism, the technopark would offer ready-to-use industrial premises to investors and entrepreneurs on preferential rental terms. The proposed monthly rental rate would not exceed the equivalent of $2 per square meter.
Another proposal is to establish the Mubarek Innovation Industrial Zone on a 200-hectare site, accommodate high-technology chemical and gas-chemical projects, and attract foreign direct investment.
Particular attention is being given to developing a skilled workforce for the industry.
Karshi State Technical University currently trains 179 specialists with higher and vocational qualifications and 300 specialists with secondary specialized qualifications annually in chemistry and chemical technology. The sector also employs 32 researchers and associate professors.
New investment projects are expected to require an additional 300 process engineers and 180 specialized chemists.
To meet these needs, the proposals include expanding cooperation among higher education institutions, research organizations, and industrial enterprises, alongside strengthening scientific and technological assessment and laboratory research capabilities.
The findings highlight opportunities to develop Kashkadarya region’s chemical industry through deeper processing of local raw materials, diversification into new products, and the establishment of higher-value-added manufacturing activities.
The proposed measures focus on securing local raw material supplies for industrial enterprises, improving production infrastructure, developing transport and logistics networks, attracting investment, and expanding export markets.
Implementation of the 28 investment projects is expected to create additional opportunities to diversify chemical production, strengthen the region’s export potential, and generate new employment.
Furkat Islomov
SEIR
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