Kyrgyzstan's Gold Trade Imbalanced: Imports Surge, Exports Plummet in First Half of 2026

Kyrgyzstan's trade in precious metals and jewelry has taken a sharp turn, revealing a significant imbalance in the first six months of 2026. Imports have dramatically outpaced exports, with foreign purchases exceeding sales by a staggering 93.47 times, according to data from the National Statistics Committee.

The country imported a total of $63.6 million worth of precious metals and related items. The lion's share of this influx, $54.3 million, came from unprocessed gold sourced mainly from Kazakhstan. This surge in gold imports solidifies Kyrgyzstan's status as a net importer of these valuable commodities.

In stark contrast, Kyrgyzstan's export performance in the precious metals sector has dwindled. While the total value of exports reached only $680,600, the physical volume of gold sold abroad plummeted. In the first half of 2026, only 190.7 kilograms of gold were exported, a fraction of the amount exported in previous periods and valued at a mere $2,100. This represents a dramatic decline from the $211,800 worth of gold exported in the first half of 2025.

The market for jewelry also saw a reduction in imports, falling from 5.3 tons in 2025 to 2.2 tons in the first half of 2026. However, the monetary value of these imported jewelry supplies remained high, totaling $9.2 million.

Silver emerged as the leading export item in the first half of 2026, with 215 kilograms sold for $641,600, primarily to Switzerland. Jewelry exports amounted to only $32,000, with China as the main buyer. Small quantities of precious metal scrap were also exported, totaling nearly 100 kilograms and valued at $4,900, with China again being the main purchaser. This contrasts sharply with the 2.8 tons of scrap exported in the first half of 2025.