PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF COTTON CLUSTERS IN UZBEKISTAN: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

The cotton industry of Uzbekistan is one of the key sectors of the country's economy, providing a significant contribution to GDP, exports and employment. Since 2017, the government of Uzbekistan has made significant efforts to reform the cotton industry, introducing a cluster system as one of the main mechanisms for increasing productivity and modernizing the sector. However, despite a number of positive changes, cotton clusters face a number of problems that limit their efficiency and sustainability.