Interfax-Kazakhstan agency reported with reference to the press service of the JSC QazTrade.

“Negative growth in mutual trade volumes was due to a decrease in Kazakhstan’s exports. In the Q1 of this year, exports of such products as petroleum, copper ores, sunflower seeds decreased,” the report said.

The export of Kazakhstani goods to Uzbekistan in the reporting period decreased by 5.2% and amounted to $464.8 million. Meanwhile, imports to Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan increased by 12.2%, to $147.2 million.

According to the information provided, the decline in exports to Uzbekistan is justified by a decrease in the supply of goods such as petroleum products – by 4.8 times, to $7.6 million, copper ores and concentrates – by 44 times (from $22 million to $0.5 million), sunflower seeds – by 2.6 times, to $9.4 million.

The main commodities in the structure of Kazakhstan’s exports to Uzbekistan are wheat – $115 million (with a share of the total volume of 24.7%), crude oil – $36.1 million (7.8%), semi-finished products from unalloyed steel – $29.2 million (6.3%), unprocessed aluminum – $22.7 million (4.9%), mixed mineral fertilizers – $22.6 million (4.9%), flat-rolled products – $17.5 million (3.8%), wheat flour or wheat-rye – $16.9 million (3.6%).

The main imported goods are natural gas – $49.3 million (with a share of the total volume of 33.5%), polymers – $12.2 million (8.3%), grapes – $7.1 million (4.8%), tomatoes – $7 million (4.8%), cabbage – $5.7 million (3.9%), dried vegetables – $4.2 million (2.9%).