Uzbekistan’s Foreign Trade Hits USD 41 Billion in H1 2026: Surging Industrial Imports Unlock Central Asia Market Opportunities

Source: National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan press_release_eng_p56386.pdf

The National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan has released preliminary foreign trade figures for the first half of 2026. Official data shows the country’s total foreign trade turnover reached USD 41 billion in January–June 2026, representing a 7.4% year-on-year increase despite global trade volatility. Driven by strong demand for industrial equipment, raw materials and construction supplies, double-digit import growth has delivered clear incremental opportunities for Central Asia’s hardware, building materials and industrial manufacturing sectors.

Steady Optimization of Trade Structure; Non-Gold Exports Rise 28.7%

Uzbekistan maintained trade ties with 195 countries and regions worldwide in H1 2026, with its global trade footprint continuing to expand. The period’s trade performance is defined by import-led growth and ongoing structural improvement:

• Total exports amounted to USD 15.9 billion, an 8.8% year-on-year decrease. According to the committee, the decline is largely attributed to reduced gold exports and cyclical external market conditions, and does not reverse the long-term trajectory of export structure upgrading.

• Total imports climbed 21% year-on-year to USD 25.1 billion. This strong expansion is underpinned by robust domestic demand for machinery, production equipment and industrial raw materials — a direct indicator of Uzbekistan’s manufacturing upgrade, infrastructure delivery and expanding consumer market.

Most notably, the country has made significant headway in export diversification. Non-gold exports surged 28.7% year-on-year to USD 8.2 billion in the first six months, standing out as a core highlight of the country’s foreign trade performance. This growth underscores Uzbekistan’s sustained policy push to advance industrial upgrading and reduce dependence on single resource exports. It also signals growing dynamism in the real economy and manufacturing sector, reinforcing the foundation for sustainable trade growth.

Stable Core Trade Partnerships; Deepening China-Uzbekistan Trade Complementarity

The report confirms that China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Afghanistan remained Uzbekistan’s top five trading partners in the reporting period, forming the core pillar of the country’s foreign trade.

As Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner, China is a key supplier of machinery, hardware tools, building materials and industrial components. As Uzbekistan advances domestic infrastructure projects, expands industrial capacity and pursues urban renewal, demand for high-quality Chinese hardware, building materials, electromechanical equipment and supporting products continues to climb, further strengthening trade complementarity and cooperation between the two economies.

Expanding Industrial & Building Materials Demand; CAIHE Matches Buyers and Suppliers

The strong import momentum has directly driven market expansion for hardware tools, building materials, construction machinery and industrial supporting products in Uzbekistan. From a demand perspective, government-led infrastructure projects spanning transportation, municipal works and residential construction are fueling bulk procurement of engineering hardware, construction consumables and light construction machinery. Meanwhile, the ongoing upgrade of local manufacturing is sustaining high import demand for power and hand tools, production equipment and industrial parts, keeping industrial procurement active.

At the same time, the rapid growth of non-gold exports reflects improving local processing and manufacturing capabilities, opening up broader prospects for industrial chain cooperation and cross-border capacity collaboration.

CAIHE – Central Asia International Hardware Expo is a specialized industry event deeply rooted in the Central Asian market, closely aligned with Uzbekistan’s current trade and industrial development trends. Gathering premium global suppliers and professional Central Asian buyers, the exhibition covers core categories including hardware tools, building materials, construction machinery, and security & fire protection. It provides an efficient business matching platform for enterprises to enter the Uzbekistan and wider Central Asian market, and engage with local traders and engineering clients.

Overall, the H1 2026 foreign trade data highlights the growth potential and structural upgrading path of the Uzbek market. With import demand continuing to release and trade partnerships expanding, Central Asia’s industrial and building materials market will remain highly dynamic. CAIHE will continue to capitalize on regional trade growth to support global enterprises in deepening their footprint in Central Asia.