Deputy Minister arrested in Jalal-Abad for livestock smuggling to Uzbekistan

north_east

The Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan has been arrested by the country’s special services on suspicion of corruption. This was reported by the State Committee for National Security.

"The Deputy Minister and the Director of the Ministry’s Veterinary Service were detained for organizing a corruption scheme in the allocation of quotas for the export of livestock. The names of the suspects have not been disclosed in the interests of the investigation," the committee stated.

The committee recalled that in July 2025, the Kyrgyz government introduced quotas for livestock exports to regulate meat prices in the domestic market. However, the detained officials allegedly set up a scheme to “illegally allocate quotas to branches that are not actually engaged in livestock breeding.”

“As a result, illegally obtained quotas were sold by intermediary entrepreneurs to farmers and individuals engaged in livestock export at 300 US dollars per head of cattle and 5,000 soums per head of small livestock,” the committee said.

Through this scheme, more than 40,000 heads of livestock were illegally imported to Uzbekistan via the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan, which “became the basis for the increase in meat prices” in the country.

“As part of the criminal case initiated, these officials have been placed in the pre-trial detention center of the State Committee for National Security in the Jalal-Abad region, and investigative actions are ongoing,” the report stated.

For reference, meat prices in Kyrgyzstan have recently increased by 15–20 percent. The main reason for the price hike is the surge in livestock and meat exports, which has reduced domestic supply and driven prices upward. Additionally, cases of illegal cross-border exports and smuggling have worsened the problem, as they bypass official oversight. Rising feed and straw costs have also increased livestock production expenses, directly affecting meat prices. Reduced pastureland, drought, and feed shortages have further decreased livestock numbers. The presence of multiple intermediary traders has contributed to artificial price hikes, as some traders store meat in warehouses to create shortages. Seasonal demand is another factor, with prices rising during the winter months and ahead of holidays, when consumption increases. Exchange rate fluctuations have also pushed up costs for imported feed, medicines, and equipment. All of these factors combined have disrupted price stability and forced the government to take urgent measures.