12:10, 16 мая 2025, Bishkek - 24-kg.com news agency , Aizada KUTUEVA
Potato imports at the beginning of 2025 were aimed solely at stabilizing prices on the domestic market. Kyrgyzstan fully meets its internal potato demand. The press service of the Ministry of Agriculture reported.
According to the ministry, the annual harvest volume amounts to 1.2 million tons.
«Domestic consumption is 700,000 tons, 300,000–400,000 tons are used for seed purposes, and around 100,000 tons are exported. In 2025, the import of potatoes from abroad (including from the People’s Republic of China) was directly aimed at stabilizing domestic market prices — and it achieved its goal. Due to the speculative pricing policy of intermediaries during the winter and spring periods, potato prices rose to 80–90 soms, and in some cases even reached 100 soms. This was a serious blow to the budgets of ordinary consumers.
To protect consumer rights, price stabilization was necessary. At the same time, the volume of imported potatoes does not even reach one percent of domestic consumption. Therefore, statements by some members of Parliament are unfounded and do not reflect reality,» the ministry added.
It is worth noting that, according to the National Statistical Committee, from January to March 2025, potato exports amounted to 17,420.8 tons, while imports totaled only 9,011 tons.