Central Bank reports steep inflation in food and fuel, but deflation in some produce

18:39 / 22.07.20251,5812 min

In Uzbekistan, the prices of six essential goods have increased by more than 30% over the past year, according to data published by the Central Bank. Cottonseed oil rose the most, jumping by 43.5%, followed by cabbage and potatoes at 37%, lamb at 32%, and beef at 30%. Methane gas also saw a notable rise of 36.2%. Notably, almost no non-food items have become cheaper during the same period.

Photo: KUN.UZ

Central Bank reports steep inflation in food and fuel, but deflation in some produce

Photo: KUN.UZ

The Central Bank, referencing figures from the Statistics Committee, released an infographic detailing the most significant price changes as of June 2025.

According to the data, some food items did experience considerable deflation. Prices dropped for cucumbers (–37.7%), pumpkins (–29.5%), apples (–23.7%), tomatoes (–23.6%), grapes (–5.2%), and rice (–16.7%).

Among food products, cottonseed oil saw the steepest increase in price at 43.5%. This was followed by cabbage (37.4%), potatoes (36.5%), lamb (32.0%), beef (30.5%), and sunflower oil (28.9%).

In the non-food category, there was hardly any price decline between July 2024 and June 2025. Only A4 paper and school notebooks saw price drops of 6.7% and 1.4%, respectively. Minor price increases were recorded for air conditioners (+0.4%), mobile phones (+0.8%), televisions (+1.0%), and cement (+1.3%).

Methane ranked as the most inflated non-food item, with a 36.2% increase. Pharmaceuticals followed: prices of vitamins rose by 12.5%, antibiotics by 11.8%, and antihistamines by 11.8%. Propane also became 11.3% more expensive, while the price of scented soaps rose by 10.3%.

The Central Bank’s infographic did not include information about price changes in the service sector.

Earlier, the Statistics Committee reported a deflation rate of 0.2% in June. Year-on-year inflation stood at 8.7%.