Last week a delegation from Uzbekistan visited Kuala-Lumpur, where it received an international award for achievements in the implementation of the National Flour Fortification Programme.

The Executive Committee of the International Flour Fortification Initiative handed the award to the Uzbek delegation at the first regional seminar on flour fortification held within the frame of the ASEAN International Conference on Nutrition.

The award "for leadership in flour fortification" is awarded to flour milling enterprises that have contributed to the achievement of the global aim of the International Flour Fortification Initiative – to fortify 70% of flour produced in the world with iron and folic acid by 2008.

The National Flour Fortification Programme of Uzbekistan fortified over 900,000 tonnes of wheat flour within less than two years.

Today, the first grade fortified flour is produced at all 44 enterprises of UzDonMahsulot Company. Additional fortification equipment has been installed at 13 large private flour mills, which allows fortifying over 1 million tonnes of flour yearly.

One of the important factors of success in the implementation of the National Programme was strong government support, establishment of the revolving fund for the procurement of micronutrients, which ensured the stability of the programme, and the adoption of state standards for the fortified flour produced in the country.

The final phase of the programme envisages the adoption of the law on stable fortification of all flour in the Uzbek market, regardless of where it came from, UzReport.com reported.