Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In the first quarter of 2025, the demand for freight delivery increased compared to the same period last year but decreased relative to the previous quarter. This applies to both international and domestic routes, according to the international "ATI.SU Freight Exchange."

The number of applications for export freight transport in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 39% compared to Q1 of the previous year, and prices rose by an average of 10%. This trend is largely driven by the most popular route to Russia: the number of applications for deliveries to Russia grew by 34%, while prices increased by 8%. Additionally, there was a significant increase in demand for shipments to Belarus.

However, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, the opposite trend is observed: the number of applications decreased by 30%, and prices fell by 15%. This decline is partially explained by seasonal factors, as demand for transport tends to decrease at the beginning of the year after the pre-New Year surge.

Meanwhile, import transport remains more stable. The number of freight transport applications to Uzbekistan placed on the "ATI.SU Freight Exchange" increased by 4% year-on-year in the first quarter, and prices rose by 2%. Compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year, a decrease was expected: the number of applications dropped by 13%, and prices decreased by 4%. This correction is explained by seasonal factors amid an overall stable market.

The exchange also recorded explosive growth in demand for domestic transport — the number of applications rose by 83% year-on-year. However, this is not so much driven by market trends as by the growing interest in automation tools among market participants — they have started to use logistics services like "ATI.SU Freight Exchange" more frequently instead of traditional messaging platforms.

Interestingly, compared to the previous quarter, there is no longer any growth in the domestic freight segment — both the number of applications and prices remained nearly unchanged.

"As we can say, the market has found a new equilibrium after the 'sanction surge' and has returned to steady development.

Cooperation with companies from Russia is hindered by payment issues among Russian importers, which worsened last year. At the same time, Uzbekistan has the potential to increase exports — in the first two months of 2025, industrial production in the country grew by 6%, and foreign trade turnover increased by 10%.

The easing of sanctions on Russia, which has been discussed recently, could become a driver for a new growth cycle in the freight transport market," said Farid Vakhidov, Director of the "ATI.SU Freight Exchange" representative office in Uzbekistan.