She noted that they are struggling to sell their products due to the influx of cheap rice that is being smuggled into the country.
In this regard, the deputy inquired about the measures the Ministry of Agriculture plans to take to address the emerging problem.
In response, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Bakyt Torobaev stated that the issue would be discussed with the Border Service.
He also added that their Uzbek colleagues had even requested the possibility of exporting rice to Kyrgyzstan.
“This is the first time I am hearing about the smuggling of rice from Uzbekistan,” he noted.
During the meeting, information from the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic regarding preparations for spring field and economic activities in 2026 was also reviewed.
