Uzbekistan is not facing a shortage – trade is flourishing

Uzbekistan faces no shortage: trade is thriving

Data from the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan demonstrates the dynamic development of the country's trade sector. As of August 1, 2026, 90,683 commercial enterprises operated in the retail sector. Notably, only 424 of these were large, while the vast majority – 90,259 – were small businesses and micro-firms. This indicates that Uzbekistan's retail market is primarily formed by thousands of small companies, shops, and individual entrepreneurs, rather than giant retail chains.

The activity of these enterprises is confirmed by the significant growth in retail turnover, which reached 310.9 trillion soums from January to July 2026. In real terms, this is 20.2% higher than the same period last year. Small businesses contributed the most to this growth, generating 255.7 trillion soums in turnover, while large enterprises accounted for 55.2 trillion soums. Thus, small and micro-firms account for approximately 82% of retail turnover. This creates a paradoxical yet logical picture: with a small number of large players, small businesses are actively saturating the market with goods and services.

A similar situation is observed in wholesale trade. As of August 1, there were 57,163 commercial enterprises engaged in wholesale trade in the country. Of these, only 421 were large, and 56,742 were small and micro-firms. Over the seven months, wholesale turnover amounted to 396.8 trillion soums, representing a real increase of 15% compared to January–July 2025. Large businesses generated 104.6 trillion soums in turnover, an increase of 31.7%. However, small businesses remain the leader here, with a turnover of 292.2 trillion soums, accounting for 73.6% of total wholesale trade.

These statistics allow us to draw an important conclusion: Uzbekistan's trade market is currently dominated by small businesses. More than 90,000 participants in retail and over 57,000 in wholesale trade are not just numbers; they represent a large-scale trade infrastructure that ensures the daily movement of goods from suppliers to end consumers.

The simultaneous growth in both segments—retail increased by more than 20% in real terms, and wholesale by 15%—testifies to the healthy state of the market. Based on these data, a scenario of total shortages appears unlikely. On the contrary, the market is demonstrating growth in turnover, the number of trade participants has increased to tens of thousands, and small businesses continue to occupy the lion's share.