According to the results of 2025, in the Tashkent, Samarkand, Andijan, Jizzakh and Bukhara regions, imports exceeded exports by a total of approximately $5.6 billion. This was announced on July 21 by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at a meeting dedicated to the results of the first half of the year.
The head of state noted that in some regions imports are growing faster than exports, and reproached the khokims for not analyzing the situation. “Last year, in the Tashkent region, imports exceeded exports by $1.9 billion, in Samarkand by $1.4 billion, in Andijan by $866 million, in Jizzakh by $792 million, and in Bukhara by $662 million,” the president said.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev said he had ordered a separate study of the situation in the Namangan region. Of the 4,300 industrial enterprises in the region, only 295, or about 7%, are engaged in exports. At the same time, these enterprises provide 60% of those employed in industry and generate 42% of the sector's tax revenues, or 575 billion soums.
The president criticized Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Davron Vahabov, Chairman of the Food Safety Committee Azizbek Urunov, Director of the Agency for Technical Regulation Akmal Jumanazarov and district khokims. “Why don’t they think about finding markets for the products of other enterprises, helping with standardization and certification? None of these leaders have the right to sit in their offices. Let them go to Namangan and create a system to increase exports within a week,” the president said.
Over the past three years, 509 new capacities aimed at producing export-oriented products have been launched in the country. However, 208 of these enterprises have not yet started exporting. “Why don’t Kudratov, Vahabov, Urunov, Jumanazarov and Yusupaliyev go to these enterprises and help them? If they exported at least 30-40% of their products, Uzbekistan’s banks would receive at least $1.5-2 billion in foreign exchange earnings,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.
According to the president, since the beginning of the year, 29 of the country’s 47 free economic zones have not exported at all. Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev and heads of responsible departments were instructed to send task forces to 208 enterprises and 29 free economic zones. “Organize a system where leaders communicate daily with task forces and promptly resolve enterprise problems,” the president said.
In the first half of the year, Uzbekistan’s economy grew by 8.5%, industry by 8%, services by 16.9%, construction by 13.8%, and agriculture by 4.7%. The president stressed that to improve the living standards of the 40 million population, the economy must grow by at least 9-10% per year.
In 2025, Uzbekistan’s exports grew by 24% to $33.8 billion. Imports increased by 18.5% to $47.3 billion. The foreign trade deficit exceeded $13.5 billion, increasing by 6.6% compared to 2024 ($12.7 billion). Without record gold exports and a positive trade balance in services, this figure would have been even higher.
Source: www.gazeta.uz