Kazakhstan has announced its readiness to increase oil exports to Uzbekistan if better price conditions are received, TASS reported with reference to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy.

The department noted that oil is exported to Uzbekistan from the Shagyr oil loading station and the Kasymov oil pumping station, located in Shymkent and Atyrau, respectively.

“If the Uzbek side offers prices and conditions better than in the direction of China or other foreign countries, we are ready to consider increasing supplies,” the statement reads.

At the end of 2022, Uzbekistan accounted for 0.13% of the total volume of Kazakh oil exports. Also, the issue of increasing oil supplies was discussed between representatives of Uzbekistan and subsoil users of Kazakhstan.

“In accordance with the agreement on the transit of 300 thousand tons of Russian oil through the territory of Kazakhstan, 79 thousand tons have been delivered since the beginning of the year. At the same time, the export of Kazakh oil to Uzbekistan in 2022 amounted to 87 thousand tons, and according to the results of nine months of this year – 46 thousand tons,” explained the Ministry of Energy.

The day before, Vedomosti reported that Kazakhstan had reduced the shipment of oil to Uzbekistan by rail to a minimum. The place of Kazakh oil was taken by cheaper Russian oil, whose supplies to the republic over the six months of this year increased more than 5 times, to 1.2 million tons.

According to the State Statistics Committee, in January-August 2023, imports of oil and petroleum products to Uzbekistan increased by almost 48%, amounting to $1.09 billion.