Kyrgyzstan has cut rice exports by almost 40%

According to data from the National Statistics Committee for January–March 2026, Kyrgyzstan has cut its rice exports by more than a third. Shipments have fallen both in volume and value, whilst exports to Turkey and Mongolia have ceased entirely.

In the first three months of 2026, Kyrgyzstan exported 262.3 tonnes of rice worth $139,600. A year earlier, the volume of shipments stood at 412.2 tonnes worth $299,800. Thus, exports fell by approximately 36% in volume terms and by almost 53% in monetary terms.

The largest buyers of Kyrgyz rice this year were Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Over the year, 128.3 tonnes worth $48,000 were exported to Tajikistan, whereas there were no shipments during the same period last year.

Kyrgyzstan supplied 127.8 tonnes of rice to Uzbekistan, worth $89,400. However, compared with last year, exports to this country fell by approximately 52% in volume. Supplies to Russia also fell – from 11.8 to 6.2 tonnes, or by almost 47%.

Meanwhile, exports to Turkey and Mongolia have ceased entirely this year. During the same period last year, 132 tonnes of rice worth $132,000 were supplied to Turkey, and 4 tonnes worth $12,100 to Mongolia.

The highest average price for Kyrgyz rice was recorded in Mongolia — around $3 per kilogram for last year’s shipments. In 2026, Uzbekistan purchased Kyrgyz rice at the highest price – approximately $700 per tonne. The lowest price was for deliveries to Russia – around $355 per tonne.