In January-November, Uzbekistan imported gas worth a record $1.55 billion, the Agency of Statistics said in its international trade report.
This is 2.8 times more (in monetary terms) than for 11 months of 2023, when the volume of exports topped 562.7 million dollars. This is also almost 2.2 times more than the total volume of gas imports for the entire last year ($694.9 million).
In January, the import of gas topped $35.6 million, in February - 3.7 times more, or $131.1 million, in March - $193.5 million, in April - $102.6 million, in May - $180.4 million, in June - $166.3 million, in July - $174.2 million, in August - $168.3 million, in September - by $126.3 million, in October - $86.7 million. The Statistics Agency does not disclose the physical volumes of exports.
In November, exports increased sharply to $186.8 million, which is 187 times more than in November 2023 ($1 million).
Uzbekistan also began to export more gas than last year (in value terms). Exports reached $540.4 million, which is 17.9% more than in the same period last year ($458.2 million).
In January, this figure was $21 million, in February — $5.7 million, in March — $18.7 million, in April — $6.9 million, in May — $7.6 million, in June — $181.5 million, in July — $81.7 million, in August — $81.7 million, in September — $74.7 million, in October — $60.9 million.
In November, exports abroad topped $53 million, which is 3.5% more than in November last year ($51.2 million). Uzbekistan exports gas mainly to China, as well as Tajikistan. There were no exports registered in Kyrgyzstan this year.
According to the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, China's import of Uzbek gas since the beginning of the year topped $667.4 million, which in monetary terms is 27.1% more than the 11-month figure for 2023 ($470.3 million).
In January, China imported gas from Uzbekistan worth of $38.8 million, in February - $18.6 million, in April - $11.4 million, in May - $85 million, in June - $81.1 million, in July - $69.2 million, in August - $97.37 million, in September - $97.4 million, in October - $88.9 million. Physical volumes are also not disclosed.
In November, imports of Uzbek gas reached $79.4 million, which is almost 1.5 times more than in November 2023 ($54.6 million).
Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov said in January 2020 that Uzbekistan intends to stop gas exports by 2025. He underscored that it is planned to process gas and increase the production of value-added products.
In January-November, the production volume topped 40.76 BCM, which is 4.7%, or almost 2 BCM, less than in the 11 months of last year. Compared to the same period in 2019 (54.3 billion), the decline was 13.5 BCM. This surpasses the annual volume of gas consumption by households (in 2022).
