In January-December 2021, the foreign trade turnover (FTT) of Uzbekistan reached US$42.1 billion, which, compared to the same period in 2020, increased by US$5.8 billion (an increase of 16.0%), the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan said.
Of the total volume of the FTT, exports amounted to US$16.61 billion (an increase of 10.0% compared to January-December 2020), and imports – US$25.46 billion (an increase of 20.4%). As a result, the balance of foreign trade turnover amounted to a passive balance in the amount of – US$8.85 billion.
The largest volume of foreign trade turnover was recorded in November 2021 and was noted at the level of US$5.28 billion. Compared to the same month in 2020, its increase amounted to US$2.4 billion. In December 2021, the volume of foreign trade turnover amounted to US$4.13 billion and, compared to the same period in 2020, it increased by 26.3%.
The foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan in the IV quarter of 2021 amounted to US$13.85 billion, which is 35.8% more than the previous quarterly figure.
Among the 20 major partner countries in foreign economic activity, there is also an active foreign trade balance with four countries, in particular with such countries as Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. With the remaining 17 countries, a passive balance of foreign trade turnover is maintained.
To date, Uzbekistan has trade relations with 182 countries of the world. The largest volume of foreign trade turnover was recorded with the Russian Federation (17.9%), China (17.7%), Kazakhstan (9.3%), Turkey (8.1%), the Republic of Korea (4.5%), Kyrgyzstan (2.3%) and Turkmenistan (2.1%).
In the structure of foreign trade turnover of the republic, a significant share was noted in Tashkent city, which is 39.1%, or US$16.43 billion, and the smallest share was recorded at 1.1%, or US$443.1 million, which is marked in Surkhandarya region.
The share of foreign trade turnover of the CIS countries, compared to the same period in 2020, increased by 5.1%, and their share in foreign trade turnover, according to the results of January-December 2021, amounted to 37.7%.
The volume of foreign trade turnover of other states in January-December 2021, compared to the same period in 2020, respectively, decreased by 5.1% and amounted to 62.3% of the total foreign trade turnover.
The foreign trade turnover of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the CIS countries reached US$15.86 billion. Of these, the volume of exports amounted to US$5.41 billion, and the volume of imports – US$10.46 billion.
The largest volume of foreign trade turnover with the CIS countries was recorded with the Russian Federation (47.4%), Kazakhstan (24.6%), and Kyrgyzstan (6.0%).
The foreign trade turnover of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the EAEU countries amounted to US$12.77 billion. Of these, the volume of exports amounted to US$4.1 billion, and the volume of imports – US$8.68 billion.
In January-December 2021, the total number of exporting entities amounted to 6 547 units, which ensured that the volume of exports without gold reached US$12.5 billion (an increase of 34.4% compared to the same period in 2020).
In the structure of exports, 84.7% is occupied by goods, which mainly fall on industrial goods (26.1%), food products and live animals (8.3%), chemicals, and similar products (6.8%).
The largest volume of exports was recorded in November 2021 and was noted at the level of US$3.02 billion. Compared to the same month in 2020, its increase amounted to US$2.15 billion. In December 2021, the volume of exports amounted to US$1.15 billion and, compared to the same period in 2020, increased by 27.9%.
The export of Uzbekistan in the IV quarter of 2021 amounted to US$6.28 billion, which is 91.9% more than the previous quarterly figure.
Due to the decrease in exports to other foreign countries, the share of exports to the CIS countries increased and their share in its total volume amounted to 32.6%.
Compared to 2019-2020, our main partners in the export of goods and services in foreign trade turnover in January-December 2021 were such countries as China, the Russian Federation, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Their share in total exports reached 56.5%.
In the structure of exports of the republic, a significant share was noted in Tashkent city, which is 22.9%, or US$3.8 billion, and the smallest share was recorded at the level of 1.4%, or US$230.8 million in Khorezm region.
The volume of exports of fruits and vegetables amounted to 1.52 million tons and, in value terms, exceeded US$957.3 million (the rate of decline, compared to the same period in 2020, amounted to 5.1%, respectively). Based on this, 799.2 thousand tons of vegetables were exported in the amount of US$403.6 million, as well as 325.4 thousand tons of fruits and berries in the amount of US$280.6 million.
In January-December 2021, the share of fruits and vegetables in total exports amounted to 5.8%. The main export markets for fruits and vegetables are the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China.
According to the results of January-December 2021, the largest volume in terms of the value of exports of fruits and vegetables falls on the Russian Federation (30.5% of the total volume of fruits and vegetables), which exceeds the volume of exports to China by 2.6 times.
According to the results of January-December 2021, the export of textile products was carried out in the amount of 2 927.2 million US dollars, which amounted to 17.6% of the total export volume and, compared with January-December 2020, it increased by 52.3%.
In the structure of exports of textile products, the main share is occupied by cotton yarn (55.1%), as well as finished knitwear and garments (22.0%). In January-November 2021, more than 522 types of textile products were exported to 65 countries of the world.
The largest share of exports of textile products falls on the Russian Federation (US$910.7 million – 31.1%) and China (US$636.3 million – 21.7%).
The volume of exports of services in January-December 2021 amounted to US$2.55 billion, or 15.3% of the total volume of trade exports, and increased by 27.1% compared to the same period in 2020. As part of the export of services, the lion’s share is occupied by transport services (67.8%), travel (tourism) (16.6%), telecommunications, computer and information services (6.9%), other business services (4.7%).
At the same time, other services (4.1%) account for the largest share, respectively, in financial services (1.1%), insurance and pension services (1.1%), construction services (0.6%), etc.
During the reporting period, imports amounted to US$25.46 billion (an increase in growth rates, compared to January-December 2020, amounted to 20.4%). The main share in its structure is occupied by machinery and transport equipment (32.4%), industrial goods (18.5%), as well as chemicals and similar products (14.3%).
An analysis of the dynamics of imports of goods also showed that in January-December 2021, compared to the same period in 2020, the volume of imports of goods increased by US$3.79 billion and amounted to US$23.72 billion, and imports of services reached US$1.73 billion.
The smallest volume of imports was recorded in February 2021 and was noted at the level of US$1.42 billion. Compared to the same month in 2020, its decrease amounted to US$208.1 million. In December 2021, the volume of imports amounted to US$2.98 billion and, compared to the same period in 2020, it increased by 25.7%.
Imports of Uzbekistan in the IV quarter of 2021 amounted to US$7.57 billion, which is 9.3% more than the previous quarterly figure.
The share of imports from the CIS countries, compared to the same period in 2020, increased by 4.6%, and their share in foreign trade turnover, in January-December 2021, amounted to 41.1%.
In general, according to the results of January-December 2021, goods and services were imported to the Republic of Uzbekistan from 157 countries. One-third of imports come from such large partner countries as the Russian Federation, China, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Germany, and Turkmenistan.
In the structure of imports of the republic, a significant share was noted in Tashkent city, which is 49.6% or US$12.63 billion, and the smallest share was recorded in Surkhandarya – 0.8%, or US$207.7 million.
The volume of imports of services in January-December 2021 amounted to US$1.73 billion, or 6.8% of its total volume, and increased by 42.2% compared to the same period in 2020. As part of the import of services, the main share is occupied by travel (tourism – 51.1%), transport services (11.6%), other business services (10.5%), telecommunications, computer, and information services (8.0%).
In addition, other services accounted for 18.9% of total imports of services, including a high share of construction services (7.0%), fees for the use of intellectual property (4.6%), maintenance and repair services (3.4%), etc.
According to the results of January-December 2021, in the structure of imports, the volume of machinery and transport equipment reached US$8.25 billion and increased by 3.8% compared to the same period in 2020, in general, the share in the total volume of imports amounted to 32.4%.
Imports of machinery and transport equipment increased by US$298.4 million. Most of the supply of these goods to the country falls on the PRC — US$2.72 billion (33.0%), the Republic of Korea — US$1.24 billion (15.1%), and the Russian Federation — US$894.0 million (10.8%).
According to the results of January-December 2021, in the structure of imports, the volume of industrial goods reached US$4.72 billion and increased by 31.8% compared to the same period in 2020; in general, the share in total imports amounted to 18.5%.
Mostly, imports of industrial goods fall on cast iron and steel (US$2.08 billion), metal products (US$577.7 million), textile yarn, fabrics, finished products (US$394.8 million), products from non-metallic minerals (US$374.1 million), etc.
