Kyrgyzstan’s malt imports fall 55.4% as supply costs rise

Import volume more than halves

Kyrgyzstan sharply reduced its malt imports during the first five months of 2026, potentially tightening raw-material availability for domestic brewers and other beverage producers. The country imported 2,468 tonnes in January-May, a decrease of 55.4% from the same period of 2025, according to foreign trade data reported by Tazabek.

A year earlier, Kyrgyzstan had purchased 5,536 tonnes. The latest figure therefore represents a reduction of 3,068 tonnes within one year. The data do not specify whether the decline reflects weaker demand, the use of inventories, changes in domestic production or purchasing schedules, but its scale makes procurement conditions an important issue for malt-consuming companies.

The contraction was less pronounced in monetary terms. Imports were valued at $1.7 million, compared with $2.5 million in January-May 2025, a decline of 29.8%. This divergence between volume and value indicates that importers paid substantially more for each tonne entering the country.

Average cost rises to $707 per tonne

The average value of imported malt increased to $707 per tonne from $449 per tonne a year earlier, Tazabek reported. That is why expenditure declined much more slowly than physical deliveries. For beverage producers, lower volumes therefore did not translate into proportional savings on imported inputs.

The figures refer to average import value rather than a quoted market price and can be affected by product specifications, supplier mix and delivery terms. Even so, the increase changes the operating calculation for buyers. Companies requiring imported malt face both a smaller supply flow and a higher average cost per tonne, potentially increasing the importance of inventories, contract timing and supplier negotiations.

Russia retains dominant supplier position

Russia supplied 1,991 tonnes worth $1.4 million, accounting for 80.7% of Kyrgyzstan’s total malt imports. Russian deliveries nevertheless fell by 59.1% in volume. Germany ranked second with 249 tonnes, followed by Belarus with 132 tonnes, Kazakhstan with 74 tonnes and Belgium with 22 tonnes.

Supplier trends were uneven. Shipments from Kazakhstan declined by 78.6%, while imports from Belarus doubled. Belgium, which had supplied no malt in the comparable period of 2025, entered the market with 22 tonnes. These additions were too small to offset the fall in deliveries from Russia, whose dominant share leaves Kyrgyzstan’s malt supply highly exposed to changes in that route.

For Kyrgyz beverage companies, the immediate issue is not only the headline fall in tonnage but the combination of supplier concentration and higher unit values. Russia remains the only source operating at a scale close to Kyrgyzstan’s overall requirements, while alternative suppliers each delivered fewer than 250 tonnes. If the reduced import pace persists, producers will need to align production plans with available stocks and the timing and cost of new contracts.