Tajik Entrepreneurs Return to Kyrgyz Markets

Following the reopening of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, Tajik entrepreneurs have resumed visits to markets in Batken Oblast, Kyrgyzstan. Local media report that residents are welcoming the return of their southern neighbors​. Once a week, the market in Ak-Turpak village becomes a hub of activity, drawing sellers and buyers from across the region and neighboring countries. A major draw is Batken rice, which resellers purchase in bulk for export to Uzbekistan and Russia. According to local vendors, the market can sell up to 200 tons of rice on a busy day. Rice is cultivated across 3,000 hectares in this border region and remains a vital source of income for many farmers. With the border now open and economic ties restored, buyers from Isfara, Tajikistan, have begun frequenting the Ak-Turpak market, offering a welcome boost to Kyrgyz vendors. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, residents of Batken’s border districts also benefit from cross-border trade, often finding it more economical to purchase certain fruits and vegetables in Tajikistan than in Kyrgyzstan’s oblast centers. On March 13, 2025, following the signing of bilateral agreements, the Kairagach and Kyzyl-Bel border checkpoints in Batken Oblast officially reopened. According to Kyrgyzstan’s Border Guard Service, approximately 5,000 people crossed the Kyrgyz-Tajik border between March 13 and 17. An additional 500 individuals crossed by air. Prior to the agreement, all crossings had remained closed since 2021.