MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Uzbekistan’s natural gas production decreased by around 9.6% in 2023 compared with the previous year, according to figures released by the republic’s Agency of Statistics under the President.

In particular, Uzbek enterprises produced over 51.6 bln cubic meters of gas in 2022, and more than 46.7 bln cubic meters in 2023. In 2022, gas production fell by 4% compared with the previous year.

The Podrobno.uz said at the end of last October citing Director of the Tashkent-based Ma'No Center of Research Initiatives Bakhtiyor Ergashev that the country is gradually reducing the volumes of natural gas production. They fell by around 10 bln cubic meters over the past 30 years. Gas reserves in the republic are limited, he said, adding that new fields are insufficient for ensuring a sharp rise in gas output. This is mainly due to demographic growth as the country’s population climbed from 20 mln people in 1991 to over 36 mln people in 2022. That said, the demand for gas as a source of energy and commodities from the side of the growing production sector of the economy is also on the rise.