Tajikistan's foreign trade deficit widens 1.5-fold in Jan-Sept

DUSHANBE. Oct 26 (Interfax) - Tajikistan increased foreign trade 35.6% year-on-year to $10.65 billion in January-September 2026, the Tajikistan Statistics Agency reported.

The foreign trade deficit grew 50.6% in the first nine months to $6.31 billion. This increase occurred as exports rose 18.4% to $2.17 billion and imports grew 40.8% to $8.48 billion.

Tajikistan increased foreign trade with CIS countries 20.9% to $4.12 billion, with a deficit of $3.25 billion, while it increased trade with non-CIS countries 46.8% to $6.53 billion, with a deficit of $3.06 billion.

The biggest growth in exports was for precious metals and semi-precious stones and metals, which increased 56.7% to $521.3 million, as well as exports of mineral products, which increased 43.8% to $821.5 million. Exports of non-precious metals decreased 28.7% to $473.7 million.

The most noticeable increase in imports was in non-precious metals and items made from them, which grew 51.4% to $1.01 billion, followed by imports of machinery and equipment, which grew 45.6% to $1.3 billion, vehicles, which grew 1.8-fold to $1.43 billion, and mineral products, which grew 18% to $1.2 billion.

Tajikistan's primary export partners in January-September were China, which made up 30.5% of total exports, Switzerland, which made up 23.5%, Uzbekistan with 9.2%, Turkey with 7% and Russia with 5.4%. The largest share of imports was from China, with a 28% share of the total, followed by Russia with 20.9%, Kazakhstan with 12.5%, Switzerland with 6% and the U.S. with 5.1%.

Tajikistan increased foreign trade 20.2% to $10.7 billion in 2025. The foreign trade deficit widened 2% to $5.9 billion.