The volume of the gross domestic product (GDP) of Uzbekistan made up 17.65 trillion soums (Official exchange rate: 1USD-1859,07 soums) in the first quarter of 2012, which grew by 7.5% year-on-year, the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan said.

The committee said that Uzbekistan produced industrial goods for 11.318 trillion soums (+6%) and consumer products – 3.686 trillion soums (+5.4%). The volume of agriculture production rose by 6.1% to 1.812 trillion soums.

Investments into fixed capital reached 3.818 trillion soums or grew by 4.4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012, the committee added. The volume of construction works rose by 6.6% to 1.845 trillion soums in the reporting period. Uzbekistan commissioned 1.712 million square meters of habitation (+4.3%).

Uzbekistan transported 267 million tonnes of freight (+4.6%) and 1.354 billion passengers (+4.3%) in January-March 2012.

Retail trade turnover made up 7.51 trillion soums or grew by 11% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012.

The volume of paid services reached 3.045 trillion soums, which grew by 20.1% year-on-year. Total volume of services grew by 12.5% to 10.8 billion soums in the reporting period.

Foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan rose by 2% to US$5.908 billion. Export dropped by 7.4% to US$3.134 billion and import rose by 15.3% to US$2.774 billion. Foreign trade surplus made up US$360.3 million.

At the same time, foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan with the CIS states made up US$2.49 billion (+19.3%) and other countries – US$3.419 billion (-7.7%).

The committee said that US$3.134 billion from total foreign turnover fell to share of exports (7.4%) and US$2.774 billion – to import operations (+15.3%).

Exports of Uzbekistan to the CIS states grew by 34.9% year-on-year to US$1.415 billion and to other states dropped by 26.4% to US$1.719 billion.

Uzbekistan’s imports from the CIS reached US$1.075 billion in the first quarter of 2012, which rose by 3.6% year-on-year. Imports from Uzbekistan to other state grew by 24.2% to US$1.699 billion.

Foreign trade surplus made up US$360.3 million in the first three months of 2012, including with the CIS states – US$340.1 million and other states – US$20.2 million. (Source: UzDaily.com)