Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover in January amounted to $4.19 billion, decreasing year-on-year by 17.2%, the State Statistics Committee reports.

The total volume of exports decreased by almost half - to $1.16 billion. At the same time, imports amounted to $3.08 billion, which is only 4.1% more than last year. The foreign trade deficit doubled to $1.96 billion.

Last month, Uzbekistan did not sell gold. In January 2023, supplies of the precious metal brought in $1.18 billion.

China remains the republic’s largest trading partner, trade turnover with which has doubled, amounting to $1.14 billion . Of this, the import of goods and services accounted for $956.8 million - the main importer in the Uzbekistan market.

The second position is occupied by Russia with $766.7 million, of which exports amounted to $240.6 million - the main market for Uzbek products. This is followed by Kazakhstan ($271.2 million), Turkey ($213.9 million) and South Korea ($180.2 million).

Export

Excluding services, the largest item of merchandise exports remains manufactured goods - $278.8 million. However, their shipments increased by only 2%.

In particular, revenue from the export of textiles and fabrics increased by 13% and amounted to $173 million. Supplies of non-ferrous metals fell by 12.9% to $67.7 million. However, exports of non-metallic mineral products and finished leather goods doubled and reached $12.5 million in total. 

The volume of food exports increased by 3.2% and amounted to $116.6 million. More than half came from the fruits and vegetables group ($77.1 million, +23.2%), and among the remaining volume, grains brought in $31.1 million (-24.9%).

Chemical products took third place with $111.6 (+53.8%). Revenue from inorganic substances showed a two-fold increase - to $69.7 million. The supply of plastics ($18.8 million) and fertilizers ($12.3 million) also increased significantly.

Exports of consumer goods amounted to $89.5 million (+17.4%). Deliveries of clothing items increased to $72.1 million (+7.6%), and various finished products approached $12.6 million (an increase of 3.4 times).

In the mechanical engineering category, there was an increase of 13% to $61.7 million . If the export of cars increased by 87.3% ($18.5 million), and the supply of industrial machinery and equipment by 61.7% ($8.6 million), then the export of electronics decreased by a third and reached $6.1 million.

At the same time, exports of raw materials increased. Thus, supplies of hydrocarbons increased almost fourfold - to $55.8 million. Gas saw a sixfold increase to $21 million, supplies of petroleum products increased by 78.3% ($20.1 million). Exports of electric current and coal remained at last year's levels.

Import

In the structure of imports of goods, engineering products lead the way with $1.33 billion (-1.4%). Deliveries of automobiles quadrupled ($222.8 million), electrical equipment tripled ($112.2 million), and electrical equipment doubled ($154.9 million).

Second place is occupied by manufactured goods - $524 million, the supply of which increased by 31.9%. In this category, imports increased significantly for iron and steel (60.5%), metal products (22.1%) and rubber products (23.4%).

Imports of chemical products increased by 2.2% to $364.8 million. Spending on medical products amounted to $163.6 million (+31.7%), chemical materials — $53.1 million (+25%), plastics — $48.2 million (-19.4%).

Imports of foreign food decreased by 14.3% and amounted to $251.8 million. The supply of grain products amounted to $64.3 million (-44.4%), vegetables and fruits - $49.4 million (+74.8%), sugar and confectionery - $30.3 million (-41.9%).

In addition, supplies of fuel and fuels and lubricants increased by 16.3% to $172.5. Imports of natural gas from Russia and Turkmenistan soared by 1918 times, reaching $35.6 million. Coal supplies increased by half ($20.2 million), oil and petroleum products decreased by a quarter ($100.1 million).