The Uzbek Finance Ministry and State Tax Committee have issued a resolution to increase the wholesale and retail prices of alcoholic beverages on January 1, 2016.
Uzbek authorities strictly regulate the alcohol industry and started imposing minimum wholesale and retail prices in 2010. The increase of 18-24% in alcoholic prices in 2016, at similar levels as in previous years, indirectly points to double-digit inflation in the country, despite government claims that inflation did not exceed 6.8% in 2014. The government expects the inflation rate to stand at 5.5-6.5% in 2015.
According to the resolution, the minimum wholesale price of wine will go up from UZS3,800 ($0.70 at the black-market exchange rate) to UZS4,500 per litre, while the minimum retail price will go up from UZS4,600 to UZS5,400 litre.
The minimum wholesale price of brandy will increase from UZS11,100 to UZS13,900 per litre, while the minimum retail price will go up from UZS13,400 to UZS16,700 per litre.
The minimum whole price of vodka and other alcoholic beverage will increase from UZS9,000 to UZS10,500 per litre, with the minimum retail price of UZS12,600 per litre.
The Uzbek government doesn’t impose minimum prices for beer. The wholesale price of locally-brewed beer is UZS3,000 per litre, while the retail price is UZS4,000 per litre.
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