BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 23. Kyrgyzstan imported 23,990 tons of petroleum coke and bitumen from January through July 2023, down by 70 percent compared to the same period in 2022 (79,640 tons), Trend reports.
However, the country’s State Statistical Committee data shows that the total value of these imports increased by 2.7 times year-on-year. The imports’ value was $6.447 million in January–July 2022, but in the same period in 2023, it reached $17.672 million.
This change in dynamics is primarily due to the import of petroleum coke and bitumen from Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan imported 2,766 tons of these products from Kazakhstan during this period, which is a 96-percent decrease from the 69,561 tons imported in January–July 2022.
Despite the decrease in volume, the value of these imports increased nearly fivefold, rising from $2.456 million in January–July 2022 to $12.140 million in the same period this year.
In the reporting period, Kyrgyzstan imported petroleum coke and bitumen from both Russia and Kazakhstan. In contrast, in the previous year, the country also imported these products from Iran, China, and Japan.
Kyrgyzstan's foreign trade turnover amounted to $8.153 billion from January through July 2023, which is an increase of 32.3 percent compared to the same months of 2022.
Exports amounted to $1.602 billion, increasing by 45.6 percent compared to the corresponding months of 2022. Imports rose by 29.4 percent year-on-year, totaling $6.551 billion.