OREANDA-NEWS. August 12, 2009. Uzbekistan directed 936.6 billion soums (about USD 629m) to support development of small businesses in the first half of 2009. The growth rate made up 67.9% year-on-year.

Number of small businesses in Uzbekistan, except farm entities, grew by 5.1% in the reporting period of 2009. The growth of industrial output in small businesses grew by 18.3% year-on-year.
Share of small business in gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 40.2% in the first half of 2008 to 40.9% in the same period of 2009. Share of small businesses in industrial output made up 16.2% and export – 13.4% in the reporting period.

About 8.7 billion soums (USD 5.9 m), funds of Microcredit Bank and Employment Fund of the Ministry of Laboour and Social Welfare of Uzbekistan, were directed to implementation of the programme on development of service infrastructure.