Sevenfold Increase in Diesel Imports Following GTL Plant Production
The import of petroleum products in Uzbekistan is on the rise, with significant increases seen in gasoline, fuel oil, and diesel imports. According to data from January-July 2024, gasoline imports have increased by more than 1.5 times, fuel oil imports have doubled, and diesel imports have surged by 7.3 times since the start of diesel production at the GTL plant.
The Customs Committee has launched a database that provides information on the most imported goods in Uzbekistan, highlighting the substantial increase in fuel-energy and petroleum product imports. In the first seven months of 2024, Uzbekistan imported $694.2 million worth of fuel-energy and petroleum products, showing a 52.4% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.
The most significant increase was seen in the import of liquid fuels, with a nearly tenfold rise from 1,943 tons to 19,025 tons. Fuel oil imports also doubled, while gasoline imports increased by 59.1% and diesel imports rose by 22.4%.
The GTL plant in Uzbekistan, which started producing diesel in June 2022, was built at a cost of $3.42 billion with the aim of replacing $500 million worth of imports annually. The sharp increase in petroleum product imports reflects the growing demand for such products in the country.
