The volume of bilateral Tajik-Uzbek trade turnover for seven months of this year decreased by more than $48 million compared to the same period of the previous year.
In January-July of this year, the trade turnover between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan amounted to about $267 million, which is 15.3% less than in the same period of 2022, the Statistical Agency of the Republic of Tajikistan reports.
The reduction in trade turnover between the two countries is mainly due to a decrease in exports of Tajik products to Uzbekistan: to $86 million in January-July this year from $118 million in the corresponding period last year.
The decline in exports is due to a drop in the volume of supplies of mineral products (cement, electricity, ores and concentrates, and other raw materials) to the neighboring republic.
The reduction in cement exports, for example, was explained by the Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan Sherali Kabir at a recent press conference by the commissioning of new capacities for the production of these products in Uzbekistan itself.
The import of Uzbek goods to Tajikistan also decreased relatively slightly – to $181 million from $197 million.
The trend of a reduction in trade turnover between the two countries during the time of Shavkat Mirziyoyev in power in Uzbekistan is observed for the first time, it began from the first month of the year.
During the six-year period of Mirziyoyev's rule, the volume of Tajik–Uzbek trade increased almost 8 times – from $70 million in 2016 to over $555 million by the end of 2022.
Tajikistan supplies to the neighboring republic, as already noted, mainly raw materials: primary aluminum, electricity, cotton fiber, cement, untreated leather, cocoon, raw silk, as well as various fabrics, beverages, including alcoholic, carpets, etc.
Finished textile products, natural gas, mineral fertilizers, plastics, shoes, ceramic products, non-ferrous metals, electrical and mechanical equipment are imported from Uzbekistan.
In general, Tajikistan's foreign trade turnover for the first seven months of this year amounted to about $4 billion, which is 3.5% ($146 million) less compared to the same period in 2022.
The republic exported goods and products worth $767 million, which is $592 million (43.6%) less than in the same period last year.
Imports of goods, on the contrary, increased by 16% – from $2.8 billion to $3.2 billion.
