Published
05/21/2025, 15:53In the first three months of 2025, Kyrgyzstan's foreign economic activity declined. Exports fell by 6.5% compared to the same period in 2024, amounting to $506.8 million. Imports fell even more sharply, by 16%, to $2.81 billion.
The main reduction in exports is associated with a decline in gold shipments. This metal remains one of the key commodities shaping foreign trade revenues, and any fluctuation in supplies is immediately reflected in the statistics. At the beginning of 2025, gold exports were lower than a year earlier, either due to logistical difficulties or in anticipation of better prices. As a result, total exports did not even reach last year's level.
Last year, the main importers of Kyrgyz gold were China and Switzerland. This year, Switzerland also bought metal from us, but significantly less (-64.3%), as did the UK and Turkey.
However, new rules on car imports into Russia have put no less pressure on Kyrgyz exports. Whereas Kyrgyzstan used to be actively involved in parallel deliveries of Chinese cars to the Russian market, this “shop” has now been shut down. This was followed by a decline in passenger car deliveries to Kyrgyzstan. In January–March 2025, Kyrgyzstan imported only 27,900 cars, which is half as much as a year ago. Nevertheless, this product remained the main import item.
Incidentally, our neighbors are also seeing a decline in trade activity. In Kazakhstan, exports fell by 12.4% in January–February 2025, mainly due to lower oil sales. Oil exports fell by 21% in volume.
