Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In January-March 2024 the foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan made up US$15.8 billion and increased compared to the same period in 2023, by US$927.9 million, or by 6.2%, the Statistics Agency said.

Of the total foreign trade turnover volume, exports amounted to US$6.38 billion (an increase of 10.0% by January-March 2023), and imports reached US$9.44 billion (an increase of 3.8%). As a result, the balance of foreign trade turnover amounted to a negative balance in the amount of minus US$3.05 billion.

Today, the Republic of Uzbekistan carries out trade relations with 184 countries of the world. The largest volume of foreign trade turnover was recorded with China (19.0%), Russia (17.7%), Kazakhstan (5.9%), Turkey (4.1%) and the Republic of Korea (3.4%).

The share of foreign trade turnover of the CIS countries during the period under review, compared to the same period in 2023, decreased by 0.6% and, in general, their share amounted to 32.2%.

The volume of foreign trade turnover of other countries of the world for January-March 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, respectively increased by 0.6% and amounted to 67.8% of the total foreign trade turnover.

Trade in the CIS free trade zone has a positive effect on the overall foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan.

The largest volume of foreign trade turnover with the CIS countries was recorded with Russia (54.9%), Kazakhstan (18.4%) and Turkmenistan (4.6%).

The foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan with the EAEU countries during the period under review amounted to US$4.04 billion, of which the export volume was US$1.16 billion, and the import volume was US$2.88 billion.

It should be noted that a common economic territory with a unified customs system has been formed between the EAEU member states (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan), ensuring freedom of movement of goods and services, movement of migrants and movement of capital.

Statistics Agency said that the number of exporters reached 4124, and the volume of exports of goods and services amounted to US$3.64 billion (in addition to non-monetary gold) and , compared to the same period in 2023, increased by 7.4%.

In the structure of exports, goods occupy 82.2%, of which other goods – 41.9%, industrial goods – 16.0%, chemicals and similar products – 5.7%, food products and live animals – 5.5%.

Our main partners for the export of goods and services in foreign trade turnover in January-March 2024 were countries such as Russia, China, Turkey, Kazakhstan, France, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Their share in total exports reached 35.9%.

EXPORT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PRODUCTS

In January-March 2024, 375,300 tons of fruits and vegetables were exported, and, compared to the same period in 2023, this figure increased by 72.5%, or by 157,700 tons.

The main export markets for fruits and vegetables were Pakistan (26.2%), Russia (25.1%), Kazakhstan (10.5%) and China (9.2%).

The volume of exports of fruits and vegetables during the period under review amounted to US$219.8 million (the rate of increase, compared to the same period in 2023, amounted to 20.7%). In total exports amounted to 3.4%.

Based on the results of January-March 2024, the largest volume in value terms of exports of fruits and vegetables falls to Pakistan (26.2% of the total volume of fruits and vegetables), which exceeds the volume of exports, for example, Turkey, by 2.2 times.
 
EXPORT OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS

Based on the results of January-March 2024, textile products were exported for US$775.7 million, which amounted to 12.2% of its total volume and, compared to the same period in 2023, it increased by 0.9%.

In the structure of exports of textile products, the main share is also occupied by yarn (46.8%) and finished textile products (37.7%). Thus, in January-March 2024, 465 types of textile products were exported to 55 countries.

As a result of the widespread use of new production technologies and modern equipment in the country, as well as the introduction of a quality management system, labor productivity increases, which, in turn, allows finished products to find their place in world markets.

The volume of exports of services in January-March 2024 made up US$1.14 billion, or 17.8% of the total volume of trade exports and increased by 9.6% compared to the same period in 2023. As part of the export of services, the lion's share is occupied by transport services (46.4%), travel (tourism) (40.0%), telecommunications, computer and information services (6.7%), and other business services (2.9%). At the same time, for other services (4.0%), the largest share respectively falls on insurance and pension services (1.4%), financial services (0.9%), fees for the use of intellectual property not classified as other categories (0.7%), etc.

IMPORT OF UZBEKISTAN

During the reporting period, imports amounted to US$9.44 billion (the increase in growth rates compared to January-March 2023 was 3.8%). The main share in its structure is occupied by machinery and transport equipment (37.5%), industrial goods (16.4%), as well as chemicals and similar products (12.3%).

An analysis of the dynamics of imports of goods also showed that in January-March 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, the volume of imports of goods increased by US$151.8 million and reached US$8.75 billion, and imports of services reached US$691.4 million.

The share of imports from the CIS countries, compared to the same period in 2023, increased by 2.0% and, according to the results of January-March 2024, it amounted to 35.8%.

In general, based on the results of January-March 2024, goods and services were imported into Uzbekistan from 150 countries. More than 2/3 of imports come from such large partner countries as China, Russia, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Germany and Turkmenistan.

The volume of imports of services for January-March 2024 made up US$691.4 million, or 7.3% of its total volume and increased by 39.6% compared to the same period in 2023. 

As part of the import of services, the main share is occupied by travel (tourism - 53.3%), transport services (20.9%), telecommunications, computer and information services (8.2%), as well as fees for the use of intellectual property not classified as other categories of services (5.0%).

In addition, other services accounted for 12.7% of their total imports, including a high share of other business services (5.0%) and maintenance and repair services not classified elsewhere (3.7%). , insurance and pension services (2.5%), etc.

IMPORT OF INDUSTRIAL GOODS

According to the results of January-March 2024, in the structure of imports, the volume of industrial goods reached US$1.55 billion and increased, compared to the same period in 2023, by 14.2%, in general, the share in the total volume of imports amounted to 16.4%.

The main imports of industrial goods are iron and steel (US$761.3 million), metal products (US$212.0 million), textile yarn, fabrics, finished products (US$131.3 million), rubber products (US$104.3 million), etc.