Kyrgyzstan raises corn exports 24% in January-May 2026
Kyrgyzstan exported 17,500 tonnes of corn worth $1.6 million in January-May 2026. Uzbekistan absorbed 90% of shipments, while Afghanistan, Tajikistan and China emerged as new destinations.
Export volume outpaces revenue
Kyrgyzstan exported 17,500 tonnes of corn in January-May 2026, an increase of 24% from the same period a year earlier, according to foreign trade statistics reported by ZOL. The shipments were valued at $1.6 million, up 16.5% year on year.
The difference between the growth rates for volume and value indicates that average export revenue per tonne declined. Based on the reported totals, Kyrgyzstan earned roughly $91 per tonne across all destinations in the first five months of 2026, compared with about $99 per tonne a year earlier. These are implied averages rather than quoted market prices and may reflect differences in destination, product specifications and delivery terms.
In January-May of the previous year, Kyrgyz exporters shipped 14,099 tonnes valued at $1.4 million. The addition of more than 3,000 tonnes in 2026 shows that corn is becoming a larger export niche, although the trade remains concentrated in one neighboring market.
Uzbekistan takes 90% of shipments
Uzbekistan received 15,700 tonnes, equivalent to 90% of Kyrgyzstan’s total corn exports during the period. Physical shipments to Uzbekistan increased by 12%, but their value fell by 3.3% to $1.3 million, ZOL reported.
That divergence was more pronounced than for total exports. The reported value and volume imply average revenue of about $83 per tonne on the Uzbek route. The combination of higher tonnage and lower receipts suggests weaker unit returns, a change in the shipment mix or different commercial terms. The source data do not specify which factor was decisive.
Uzbekistan’s dominant share makes its demand and purchasing conditions central to the economics of Kyrgyz corn exports. For producers and traders, the market provided the scale needed to increase total shipments, but the decline in value despite higher volume limits the revenue benefit. It also leaves exporters exposed to changes in demand, logistics or pricing in a single destination.
Three new destinations emerge
Kyrgyzstan also began supplying Afghanistan, Tajikistan and China, markets that recorded no Kyrgyz corn imports in the comparable period a year earlier. Shipments reached 1,107 tonnes to Afghanistan, 613 tonnes to Tajikistan and 22 tonnes to China. Together, the three destinations accounted for 1,742 tonnes, or about 10% of the reported total.
Afghanistan was the largest of the new outlets, while Tajikistan provided another regional destination of meaningful size. The 22-tonne shipment to China was small relative to the overall trade and does not yet represent a major alternative to Uzbekistan. Even so, the appearance of three new buyers broadened the geographic reach of Kyrgyz corn.
Exports to Russia moved in the opposite direction, falling to 7 tonnes from 40 tonnes a year earlier. The contraction confirms that Russia was a marginal destination during both periods. Near-term export performance therefore depends primarily on maintaining volumes to Uzbekistan and determining whether the new Afghan and Tajik routes can develop beyond their initial shipments.
