|
Reforms gain urgency as pressure rises on Kyrgyz RMG sector

06 Feb '26

17 min read

Reforms gain urgency as pressure rises on Kyrgyz RMG sector

Pic: Shutterstock

Insights

Kyrgyzstan's garment sector is under stress as restricted Russian access, marketplace hurdles and lack of certification trigger large-scale closures and disruptions.
Once boosted by low costs, EAEU access and post-2022 demand from Russia, the industry's CMT-led growth model is now losing competitiveness.
Lawmakers have called for urgent support even as the government advances reform plans.

Kyrgyzstan’s garment industry, long viewed as one of the country’s most dynamic and employment-intensive sectors, is facing a moment of reckoning. At a recent meeting of the Ala-Too parliamentary group attended by lawmakers, business representatives and government agencies, industry players reportedly laid bare a series of challenges that threaten to reverse years of hard-won growth.

Restricted access to the Russian market, mounting difficulties in working with major online marketplaces, and the absence of domestic laboratory and certification facilities—critical for meeting European standards—were reportedly cited as the most pressing concerns, as per media reports. And the impact has been severe, it seems, with more than *,*** garment workshops reportedly forced to shut down already, leaving thousands of workers jobless.