Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover continued to expand during the first four months of 2026, driven by growth in imports and a recovery in gold exports, according to the latest data from the Statistics Committee.
Between January and April, Uzbekistan exported goods and services worth $9.97bn and imported $16.35bn, resulting in total foreign trade turnover of approximately $26.3bn. Compared to the same period in 2025, exports declined by 16.8%, while imports increased by 26.7%.
Service exports remained one of the largest components of Uzbekistan's export structure. During the reporting period, exports of services reached $3.46bn, representing 34.7% of total exports and increasing by 32.6% year-on-year.
The country also resumed gold exports after a six-month pause. In April, Uzbekistan exported $1.5bn worth of gold, accounting for 15.1% of total exports during the January–April period.
Industrial goods exports totaled $1.5bn, an increase of 17.1% compared to the previous year. Food products and live animals generated export revenues of $753mn, up 13.7% year-on-year.
Agricultural exports included $463mn worth of fruits and vegetables and $205.9mn worth of grain crops.
Exports of mineral fuels and lubricants reached $447.5mn during the first four months of the year. Within this category, petroleum product exports amounted to $234.3mn, representing annual growth of 55%.
However, exports of natural gas declined significantly. Uzbekistan exported $129.4mn worth of natural gas during the period, a decrease of 35.2% compared to the same period in 2025. Electricity exports also declined, falling by 4.2% year-on-year to $82.8mn.
Among other export categories, textile exports totaled $596.4mn, increasing by 12.1%, while exports of non-ferrous metals reached $570.2mn, up 7.8%.
Machinery and transport equipment remained the largest import category. Uzbekistan imported $5.5bn worth of machinery and transport equipment between January and April, accounting for 33.7% of total imports and increasing by 29.1% year-on-year.
Vehicle imports reached $1.3bn, while imports of electrical machinery and equipment totaled approximately $1bn, representing growth of 63.1%.
Food imports increased substantially, reaching $1.9bn, while imports of mineral fuels and lubricants amounted to $1.44bn. Among food imports, purchases of meat and meat products totaled $320.1mn, rising by 62.7% compared to the previous year. Imports of sugar, sugar products, and honey reached $236.8mn, an increase of 49.6%.
Fuel imports also recorded notable growth. Oil and petroleum product imports totaled $821.5mn, increasing by 20.3%. Gasoline imports reached $327.1mn, doubling compared to the same period in 2025. Diesel imports increased by 20% to $185.6mn. Natural gas imports also rose significantly. During the first four months of 2026, Uzbekistan imported $508.3mn worth of natural gas, an increase of 53.6% year-on-year. Imports of chemical products exceeded $2bn, increasing by 22.6% compared to the previous year.
Industrial goods imports reached $2.5bn, while service imports totaled $1.6bn. Within service imports, travel and tourism-related expenditures accounted for $755.9mn.
Imports of iron and steel products reached $998.4mn, representing annual growth of 5.6%. China remained Uzbekistan's largest trading partner during the January–April period, with bilateral trade totaling $6.2bn. Russia ranked second with trade turnover of $4.5bn, followed by Kazakhstan at $1.8bn, Turkey at $920.6mn, and Afghanistan at $728.2mn. Russia was the largest destination for Uzbek exports, receiving goods worth $1.4bn during the first four months of the year. China remained the leading source of imports, with Uzbek purchases from China totaling $5.3bn.
