Kyrgyzstan more than doubles cucumber imports in January-May 2026

Import volume rises by 121%

Kyrgyzstan imported 8,200 tonnes of cucumbers and gherkins worth $5.5 million in January-May 2026, according to Tazabek. The physical volume was 121% higher than in the same period a year earlier, while the value of imports more than doubled.

In January-May 2025, the country purchased 3,700 tonnes from foreign suppliers for $2.76 million. The year-on-year comparison therefore shows an additional 4,500 tonnes entering the Kyrgyz market during the first five months of 2026.

The value data broadly followed the increase in volume. Based on the totals reported by Tazabek, the average declared value was approximately $671 per tonne in January-May 2026, compared with about $746 per tonne a year earlier. These calculated averages describe the aggregate trade flow and may reflect changes in supplier mix, product specifications and delivery timing.

Uzbekistan consolidates its leading position

Uzbekistan remained Kyrgyzstan’s largest external source of cucumbers and gherkins. It supplied 5,200 tonnes valued at $3.39 million, accounting for 63% of total import volume. Shipments from Uzbekistan increased by 146% year on year, outpacing the expansion of Kyrgyzstan’s overall imports.

The Uzbek flow alone was larger than Kyrgyzstan’s entire cucumber and gherkin import volume in January-May 2025. Its geographic proximity and its share of the 2026 total make Uzbekistan the central supplier in this market, while also leaving Kyrgyz buyers significantly exposed to availability and trading conditions in the neighboring country.

The figures imply an average declared value of about $652 per tonne for imports from Uzbekistan. That was slightly below the approximate average for all suppliers, although the available data do not provide product grades, contract terms or monthly price movements.

Kazakhstan and Iran expand shipments

Kazakhstan ranked second among suppliers. Its deliveries rose from 378 tonnes in January-May 2025 to 1,300 tonnes in the corresponding period of 2026. Tazabek described the latest volume as three times higher, and the increase strengthened Kazakhstan’s position in Kyrgyzstan’s imported vegetable supply.

Iran also more than doubled its shipments, raising deliveries from 294 tonnes to 609 tonnes. Tajikistan recorded a much smaller change, with supplies increasing from 40 tonnes to 45 tonnes. Together, the reported figures show that import growth was spread across several origins, although Uzbekistan accounted for most of the market.

Regional suppliers gain a larger commercial opportunity

The sharp increase in purchases expands the sales opportunity for growers, packers and traders serving Kyrgyzstan. It also raises the importance of transport capacity, border clearance, storage and timely distribution for a perishable product. Importers must manage these operational factors while sourcing a volume that more than doubled within a year.

For domestic producers and wholesalers, the arrival of an additional 4,500 tonnes changes the competitive balance during the covered period. The published figures do not explain whether the increase resulted from domestic output, seasonal availability, demand or prices. They nevertheless establish a clear shift: Kyrgyzstan relied much more heavily on imported cucumbers and gherkins in the first five months of 2026, with Uzbekistan capturing the largest part of that growth.