BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 13. The government of Kyrgyzstan is thinking about temporarily stopping the export of coal by road transport, Trend reports.
The corresponding draft law has been presented by the Cabinet of Ministers for public discussion. The proposed measure suggests imposing an eight-month ban on exporting coal (classified under tariff codes 2701 and 2702 of the EAEU Foreign Economic Activity Commodity Nomenclature) by road transport, except through the Irkeshtam and Torugart border crossings between China and Kyrgyzstan.
The reason behind this idea is that Kyrgyzstan is expecting low water levels, and private sellers have been raising the price of coal in the southern region during the summer. The worry is that there might not be enough coal for people to use for heating during the 2023 and 2024 winter seasons.
The temporary ban is intended to ensure that there is an adequate supply of coal for the citizens of Kyrgyzstan. By limiting exports, the government wants to prioritize having enough coal for everyone in the country during the colder months.
According to the State Statistical Committee of the country, Kyrgyzstan exported 437,579 tons of bituminous coal from January through May 2023, which is 2.6 times more than in the corresponding months of 2022 (161,525 tons).