Speaking at a meeting on the country's first-half economic performance on July 21, Mirziyoyev said imports exceeded exports by a combined $5.6 billion across Tashkent, Samarkand, Andijan, Jizzakh and Bukhara regions in 2025.
He said Tashkent region recorded the largest trade gap, where imports surpassed exports by $1.9 billion, followed by Samarkand region with $1.4 billion, Andijan region with $866 million, Jizzakh region with $792 million and Bukhara region with $662 million.
"Which of the regional governors has taken the time to analyze this?" the president asked, criticizing local authorities for failing to respond to the growing imbalance.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev said he had ordered a separate review of the situation in the Namangan region, where only 295 of the region's 4,300 industrial enterprises export their products – about 7% of the total.
Despite their small number, those exporting companies account for 60% of industrial employment and generate 42% of the sector's tax revenue, amounting to UZS 575 billion.
The president also criticized Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Davron Vakhabov, Chairman of the Committee for Food Safety Azizbek Urunov, Director of the Uzbek Technical Regulation Agency Akmal Jumanazarov and district governors.
"Why are they not looking for markets for the products of the remaining enterprises? Why are they not helping them meet standards and obtain certification? None of these officials has the right to sit in an office. Let them go to Namangan and, within a week, establish a system to increase exports," Mirziyoyev said.
He noted that Uzbekistan had launched 509 new export-oriented production facilities over the past three years, but 208 of them have yet to export any products.
"If these enterprises exported even 30–40% of their output, at least $1.5–2 billion in foreign currency earnings would flow into Uzbekistan's banks," the president said, again criticizing the responsible officials for failing to assist businesses.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev also said that 29 of Uzbekistan's 47 special economic zones have not recorded any exports since the beginning of the year.
Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev and the heads of relevant agencies were instructed to establish rapid response teams and deploy them to the 208 non-exporting enterprises and the 29 special economic zones.
The president ordered officials to introduce a system under which agency heads would communicate with the teams daily and promptly resolve problems preventing companies from entering foreign markets
According to figures presented at the meeting, Uzbekistan's economy expanded by 8.5% in the first half of the year. Industrial output grew by 8%, services by 16.9%, construction by 13.8% and agriculture by 4.7%.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the country needs annual economic growth of 9–10% to improve living standards for its population of 40 million.
