Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 21
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
In 2018, Uzbekistan exported 47 percent of the total manufactured textile products abroad, O’zto’qimachiliksanoat, the Uzbek Textile Industry Association, told Trend on Dec. 21.
According to the information, as of December 2018, the volume of textile production in Uzbekistan grew by 10.1 percent compared to the previous year and amounted to 20.89 trillion soums ($2.51 billion).
At the same time, exports of textile products grew by 15.3 percent and amounted to $1.18 billion. In the outgoing year, the export geography changed significantly. Of the total exports, $647.8 million accounted for the CIS countries with an increase of 7.5 percent, while exports to foreign countries increased by 33.4 percent and amounted to $560.6 million.
Cotton yarn still holds the leading position in the export structure with a share of 56.7 percent or $667.9 million, whereas exports of finished knitwear and garments amounted to $263.4 million (22.4 percent of the total volume).
Since the beginning of the year, Uzbekistan has exported over 340 types of goods to 46 countries of the world.
While in the first years of independence, exports of light industry products in Uzbekistan had been mostly oriented towards raw materials, now the country is exporting finished textile products.
O’zto’qimachiliksanoat noted that the changes were triggered by the large-scale program for reforming the textile industry and refusing raw materials exports.
Over the past year, dozens of textile enterprises have been created in the country with the participation of foreign investment and technological solutions. In particular, since the beginning of the year, high-tech textile fiber processing machines worth $501.6 million were imported to Uzbekistan.
In January-November 2018, Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover amounted to $28.66 billion, which is 17.6 percent more compared to the same period last year.
Exports accounted for $11.32 billion (a 3.2-percent decrease), imports – for $17.34 billion (a 36.8-percent increase). The negative balance of foreign trade reached $6.02 billion.
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