Baku. TurkicWorld:
Urgut, located approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Samarqand in the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan, is a city rich in both entrepreneurial spirit and ancient history and culture. Established in 1964, Urgut has evolved into the central hub of the Urgut district, known for its vibrant markets, fermentation workshops, and shale factories. This article explores the historical significance of Urgut, its cultural heritage, and its contemporary economic developments.
Urgut boasts a unique blend of traditional and modern aspects. The city serves as a major eastern market in the Samarqand region, where local artisans showcase and sell their ancient and contemporary crafts. The main market days are on Saturdays and Sundays, offering a variety of goods such as textiles, jewelry, artistic metalwork, and wooden handicrafts. Urgut bazaar is considered as the third biggest bazaar in the country and plays a very big role in the country’s economy. Notably, Urgut is renowned for its Uzbek cuisine, with palov, shashlyk, and manti being popular dishes prepared in the city's traditional kitchens.
Furthermore, Urgut is known as one of the hubs of artisans. From carpentering to suzani making, there are hundreds of artisans across the town. They create beautiful works and sell them in bazaars. In recent years due to the development of tourism and foreign investment, they started exporting their goods to foreign countries. Talking about Urgut, it is essential to mention that Urgut has very unique nature. Gorgeous mountain ranges, Urgut water reservoir, nature wonders like Teshiktosh, there is a lot that Urgut can offer to nature enthusiasts. One of the natural wonders in Urgut is the Chorchinor garden. The word Chorchinor means “four plane trees” in Persian and the garden is famous for its old plane trees and water spring which is considered healthy. The ages of the trees in Chorchinor range from 800 to 1800, and the garden becomes very beautiful in sunny seasons. Urgut is also a region with great agricultural potential, different types of fruits and vegetables are produced every year. Furthermore, more than hundreds of herbs can be found in Urgut mountains.
As mentioned, different forms of art developed very much in Urgut compared to other cities. Perhaps one of the reasons for that is the entrepreneurial skills that Urgut people are known for. For many decades, the people of Urgut were renowned for their entrepreneurial projects and united society. In 2017, with the initiative of the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Urgut Free Economic Zone was established. The zone focuses on mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, and fruit and vegetable processing. Currently hosting 63 projects with a total investment of $302.7 million, the zone has attracted significant foreign investment. And the number of projects is increasing year by year declining the unemployment rate in Urgut and nearby districts. The Urgut FEZ offers several incentives for investors, including tax exemptions, customs privileges, and favorable conditions for starting production. Some of the key advantages include a stable macroeconomic environment, strategic location, a competitive labor force, and a well-developed logistics system.
In conclusion, there are a lot of projects planned for the sustainable development of Urgut. Some of them are building smart cities, and developing the agricultural potentials of Urgut. preserving the unique flora and fauna of Urgut and making a role model for other districts of Uzbekistan. Urgut truly embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship and cultural diversity in Uzbekistan.
Adkhamjon Janobiddinov
