Uzbekistan imported gas worth $462.8 million in January-April, according to the data from the Agency of Statistics under the President.
This amount is three times higher (in terms of value) than the first four months of the previous year, when imports amounted to $153.1 million. It also represents 66% of the total gas imports in 2023 ($694.9 million).
In January, the import of natural gas was $35.6 million, in February it was 3.7 times higher at $131.1 million, in March it reached $193.5 million, and in April it was $102.6 million. The physical volumes of deliveries are traditionally not disclosed by the agency.
Since the beginning of the year, Uzbekistan also exported gas worth $52.3 million, nearly 2.3 times less than the same period last year ($117.9 million). In January, the figure was $21 million, in February $5.7 million, in March $18.7 million, and in April $6.9 million.
The imports exceeded exports by $410.5 million, indicating that Uzbekistan is strengthening its status as a net gas importer. The agency previously analyzed the factors that led Uzbekistan to become a net gas importer despite having huge gas reserves.
The General Customs Administration of China reported that in March, China (the main buyer of Uzbek gas) did not import gas from Uzbekistan, but in April purchased natural gas worth $11.4 million. The total import of Uzbek gas by China since the beginning of the year amounted to $68.8 million, which is 31.5% more than the total gas export volume from Uzbekistan. There have been discrepancies in statistical data between China and Uzbekistan regarding gas supplies.
Earlier, it was reported that in January-February, China received gas from Uzbekistan worth $57.38 million, which is twice the volume announced by the Uzbek side.
Since October 2023, Uzbekistan has been importing gas from Russia through the territory of Kazakhstan. There were plans to invest $500 million in the modernization of the main gas pipeline system to increase gas imports "from the north."
