Uzbekistan’s export potential continued to strengthen, along with the increasing competitiveness of national output in the first quarter of 2007, the Uzbek State Statistics Committee and Economy Ministry said in their publication.

Foreign trade turnover grew by 15.6% in January-March 2007, according to publication, which was printed in central Uzbek newspapers. Aggregate export volume increased by 21.1%, and imports grew by 7.9%. As a result, foreign trade surplus exceeded last year’s figure 1.5 times.

The export of processed and finished goods grew more than 1.5 times, and their share in the structure of exports made up 73.7%, against 58% in the first quarter 2006.

The most dynamic growth was observed for the export of foodstuffs (up 2.6 times), chemical products and energy (up 2 times), rolled ferrous and nonferrous metals (up 1.6 times), machinery and equipment (up 1.5 times) and services (up 1.3 times).