In Uzbekistan, natural gas production indicators have been sharply declining in recent years. This was reported by the State Statistics Committee. According to the data, in January–July 2025, the country produced only 25.3 billion cubic meters of gas. This is 884 million cubic meters less compared to the same period last year, which means a decrease of about 3.4 percent.
At the same time, it is emphasized that this figure is the lowest recorded in the past eight years. For example, in 2017, 32.2 billion cubic meters of gas were produced, and in 2018 this figure reached 35.1 billion cubic meters. Therefore, the 2025 level is being considered one of the serious problems in the energy sector.
However, it is noteworthy that gas exports have significantly increased. In the first seven months of this year, gas worth 438.6 million US dollars was exported abroad. This figure is 38.2 percent higher compared to 2024. At the same time, the country itself was forced to import gas worth 734 million US dollars. Experts explain this by the fact that domestic demand is high, while production volumes are insufficient.
The government continues the practice of selling gas to the population at low prices. As a result, large amounts of subsidies are being allocated from the budget. For instance, for 2025, 7 trillion soums are planned, in 2026 — 5.9 trillion soums, and in 2027 — 5.5 trillion soums in subsidies. Earlier, it was announced that subsidies would be canceled starting from 2028, but it has now become known that in that year as well more than 5 trillion soums will be allocated.
According to officials, if reforms in the energy market are not accelerated, production will continue to decline and the domestic demand may remain unmet. At the same time, due to the high demand for natural gas on the international market, export volumes are expected to continue to grow.
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