Uzbek gas output drops 17.1% in first half

TASHKENT- Uzbekistan produced 25.145 billion cubic metres of natural gas in January-June, a 17.1% decrease year-on-year, the state statistics committee said on Monday.

Gas is one of the Central Asian nation's main exports, but it has faced a drop in demand from buyers China and Russia due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Decreased exports to China have affected some foreign companies' operations in Uzbekistan, including Russia's Lukoil.

The former Soviet republic's industrial output fell 1.9% in the first half of this year, the statistics committee said.

(Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov, Editing by Louise Heavens) ((olzhas.auyezov@thomsonreuters.com; +7 727 2508 500; Reuters Messaging: olzhas.auyezov.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))