Uzbekistan's economy relies mainly on
commodity production, including cotton, gold, uranium, and natural gas. Despite the declared objective of transition to a market economy, Uzbekistan continues to maintain rigid economic controls, which often repel foreign investors. The policy of gradual, strictly controlled transition has neverthless produced benificial results in the form of economic recovery after 1995.
Drought had prevailed in Central Asiafor the past three crop seasons, but estimatedtotla regional wheat production had not dropped significantly. Combined 2001/02 wheat production for Uzbekistan, Turkmenisan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgystan was estimated 6.1 million tons compared to 6.0 million tons in 2000/01.Early winter grain prospects are also
good.
