Chairwoman of the Association of Kyrgyz Seamstresses, Diloromkan Duyshobaeva, emphasized that one of the key difficulties is the new law adopted in Russia, which changed the rules for the import of goods; however, the instructions and mechanisms for its implementation have not yet been developed.
“The lack of a laboratory for quality and safety testing of goods in Kyrgyzstan is also a serious problem contributing to traffic jams at the border. We have traveled to China four times and found an investor willing to build a laboratory, but we waited a long time for the government to allocate a plot of land. In the end, we were provided with 4 hectares of land in the village of Vostok, and the site is already ready for construction to begin,” she reported.
Nevertheless, according to Diloromkan Duyshobaeva, the investor who was planning to invest in this laboratory has already directed their investments to Uzbekistan, as Kyrgyzstan lacks the necessary mechanisms and incentives for investors that are offered in the neighboring country.
In the opinion of the association head, if the laboratory were already operational, many of the difficulties faced by seamstresses today could have been prevented.
“With the presence of a laboratory, even in the event of the border with Russia closing, we would have had the opportunity to enter the European market. Given the current situation, we are exploring alternative markets such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, but there the cost of importing goods from Uzbekistan is $0.60, from China is $1.20, while from Kyrgyzstan it is $2,” she added.
Diloromkan Duyshobaeva noted that previously seamstresses managed problems on their own and developed their industry, but now they are facing systemic difficulties and need government support.
In the autumn of 2025, it was reported that changes in Russian requirements created a number of problems for Kyrgyz seamstresses. The Ministry of Economy and Commerce discussed the difficulties related to the passage of products into Russian territory due to the new rules.
