BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 31. Kyrgyzstan increased its trade turnover with Kazakhstan by 4% year-on-year in the first five months of 2026, reaching $721.4 million.
According to data from Kyrgyzstan's National Statistics Committee, trade between the two countries totaled $721.38 million from January through May 2026, up from $693.36 million in the corresponding period of 2025.
Kazakhstan accounted for 11.5% of Kyrgyzstan's total foreign trade turnover during the reporting period, maintaining its position as one of the country's key trading partners.
Kyrgyz exports to Kazakhstan rose by 13.1% year-on-year to $182.91 million, compared to $161.79 million a year earlier. Kazakhstan accounted for 21.6% of Kyrgyzstan's total exports, making it one of the country's largest export destinations.
Meanwhile, imports from Kazakhstan edged up by 1.3% to $538.47 million, from $531.57 million from January through May 2025. Kazakhstan supplied 10% of Kyrgyzstan's total imports during the reporting period.
Despite stronger export growth, Kyrgyzstan recorded a trade deficit with Kazakhstan of $355.56 million, as imports continued to substantially exceed exports.
Overall, Kyrgyzstan's foreign trade turnover increased by 1% year-on-year to $6.25 billion in the first five months of 2026, compared to $6.19 billion a year earlier.
The country's total exports declined by 9.3% to $847.1 million, while imports increased by 2.8% to $5.41 billion. As a result, the overall trade deficit widened to $4.56 billion.
The latest figures indicate that trade with Kazakhstan outperformed Kyrgyzstan's overall external trade, with bilateral turnover growing four times faster than the country's aggregate trade. Notably, exports to Kazakhstan increased despite the overall decline in Kyrgyz exports, suggesting that demand from the Kazakh market remained resilient. With more than one-fifth of Kyrgyzstan's exports destined for Kazakhstan, the country continued to play a pivotal role in supporting Kyrgyz export activity, even as imports remained dominant and the bilateral trade balance stayed in deficit.
