Why are the figures for gas imports inconsistent?

In the first six months of 2023, Uzbekistan sharply increased its gas imports to 2.6 billion cubic meters - 7.2 times more than in the same period in 2022. This information was reported in the Ministry of Economy and Finance's report on the execution of the State budget.

According to the document, gas production in the first half of the year decreased by 9.6 percent, or 2.51 billion cubic meters, and amounted to 23.6 billion cubic meters. During this period, 2.6 billion cubic meters of gas were imported, which is 364 million cubic meters more than in the same period last year.

The Statistics Agency reported that Uzbekistan imported $200 million worth of gas in January-June, which is 2.6 times more than in the first half of the previous year.

The indicators published by the Ministry of Economy differ significantly from the data provided by the Statistics Agency.

Additionally, the agency's report stated that a total of 3,924.6 million cubic meters of gas were extracted in August. Gas production decreased by 391 million cubic meters compared to August of the previous year. Since the beginning of the year, gas production has decreased by 3,260.3 million cubic meters.

In July, the chairman of the Central Bank, Mamarizo Nurmuratov, stated that the increase in the state budget deficit in the first half of the year was caused by the rise in gas imports.

Let us also remind ourselves that earlier reports indicated that Uzbekistan exported natural gas worth $370.57 million to China from January to August.