Uzbekistan has resumed gold exports for the first time since September 2025, according to figures released by the National Statistics Committee, ending a six-month suspension in overseas sales.

The country’s total exports amounted to $9.97 billion during January-April 2026, marking a decline of 16.8% compared with the same period last year, The Caspian Post reports.

Services continued to make up more than one-third of total exports, reaching $3.46 billion and maintaining a higher value than goods shipments.

Gold exports resumed in April during a period of weaker global prices, which fluctuated between $4,550 and $4,800 per ounce. The sector generated more than $1.5 billion in export earnings during the month. Even so, the figure remained well below the $5.48 billion recorded in the January-April period of 2025.

The sharp reduction in gold exports contributed to a significant worsening of Uzbekistan’s external trade balance, with the trade deficit expanding nearly sevenfold year on year to $6.38 billion, compared with $930 million a year earlier.

Uzbekistan last exported gold in September 2025, when shipments totaled $1.47 billion. Over the course of the year, the country’s gold exports reached a record high of more than $9.9 billion.

Output at the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine totaled 737,000 troy ounces in January-March, representing a year-on-year decline of 2.19%. Despite lower production volumes, the value of output increased by 58.3% to more than 44 trillion soums due to higher prices.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s gold and foreign exchange reserves climbed back above $70 billion in April, rising by $1.9 billion, or 2.76%, over the month. The central bank’s gold reserves were valued at $61.59 billion, although physical holdings declined to 413.7 tonnes, down by about 3.1 tonnes from the previous month.