The total trade turnover of Tajikistan with Central Asian countries in January-November of the current year amounted to more than $1.539 billion, which is 17% lower compared to the same period in 2022, Asiaplustj.info reports.
Tajikistan's trade turnover with Kazakhstan decreased by 20%, with Uzbekistan by 10.3%, with Turkmenistan by 13.5%, and with Kyrgyzstan by 21.7%, according to the report from the Statistical Committee of Tajikistan.
Kazakhstan remains Tajikistan's main trading partner in the region, with a trade turnover exceeding $1 billion over the first 11 months of this year.
Uzbekistan follows as the second, with a turnover of over $450 million during this period. The decrease in Tajik-Uzbek trade turnover is observed for the first time during Shavkat Mirziyoyev's presidency.
Trade with Turkmenistan from January to November of this year amounted to over $40 million, while with Kyrgyzstan, it dropped to a "modest" volume of $10 million.
The border with Kyrgyzstan, initiated by Bishkek, has remained closed since May 2021 after an armed conflict in the border areas. Trade between the two countries occurs in small volumes through the territories of third countries.
The total foreign trade turnover of Tajikistan in January-November of the outgoing year reached approximately $6.8 billion, which is $2.2 billion more than in the same period of 2022. Specifically, over $1.6 billion accounts for exports, and over $5.1 billion for imports.
The negative balance of Tajikistan's foreign trade turnover (excess of imports over exports) decreased to 3.1 times from 2.4 times in the same period of 2022.
International analysts attribute this result to the decline in Tajik exports due to a "pause in supplies to external markets for gold" and a reduction in the export of non-precious metals and mineral products.
Tajikistan had trade relations with 119 countries worldwide from January to November of this year. The main trading partners remained Russia (22.6% in Tajikistan's total trade turnover), China (19.6%), and Kazakhstan (15.3%).
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 29, 2023