Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover rises 23.9% in 2023

TASHKENT. Jan 22 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover rose 23.9% year-on-year, or $12.1 billion, to $62.6 billion in 2023, the country's Statistics Agency said on Monday.

Exports increased 23.8% to $24.426 billion, and imports rose 24% to $38.141 billion.

The negative balance of foreign trade totaled $13.715 billion versus $11.035 billion the previous year.

The country's leading foreign trade partners last year were China at 21.9% of total trade turnover, Russia at 15.8%, Kazakhstan at 7%, Turkey at 5%, and South Korea at 3.7%.

The Statistics Agency said that Uzbekistan's main export items were gold at 33.4% of all exports, services at 21.2%, industrial goods at 16.6%, and food products at 7.9%. The main import items remained machinery and equipment at 39.2%, manufactured goods at 16.6%, chemical products at 12.8%, food products at 10.8%, and services at 6.7%.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev last week at a meeting on priorities for investment, exports and international cooperation, set the goal of boosting the country's exports by 30% in 2024.