"Light Industry": Marketplaces have legalized three times more entrepreneurs than the patent system

The Association "Legprom" emphasized that since the emergence of international marketplaces, the number of legalized entrepreneurs has significantly increased. According to information presented on January 16, 2026, by Azamat Kerimbek uulu, a representative of the association, marketplaces have been able to legalize three times more entrepreneurs than the patent system did in two decades.

The patent system, which was in effect since 2003, was abolished in 2023. During its operation, around 9,800 sewing workshops functioned in the textile and garment industry. However, the entry into international platforms such as Wildberries and Ozon significantly accelerated the legalization process.

Kerimbek uulu noted that after the launch of Wildberries in Kyrgyzstan, approximately 23,000 individual entrepreneurs registered, and about 7,000 individual entrepreneurs began working through Ozon. As a result, over two years, marketplaces have engaged nearly 30,000 entrepreneurs in the legal market, which is a significant achievement compared to the results of the patent system over 20 years.

He also pointed out changes in the tax system: while previously the cost of a patent ranged from 1,500 to 3,000 soms, the country now has a unified tax with two regimes — 2% on turnover for wholesale and retail trade and 0.25% under a simplified system for producers. According to him, such favorable conditions are absent in other countries in the region.

Nevertheless, the garment industry faces challenges in sales. The majority of products from Kyrgyz sewing enterprises are exported to Russia, and offline trade has almost entirely transitioned to an online format. Over the past two years, marketplaces have demonstrated impressive growth rates.

Kerimbek uulu also mentioned that as a result of the border closure on September 15, the sale of products was temporarily halted, and the cost of cargo transportation increased from 50 to 250 rubles, significantly raising costs for businesses.

He reminded that in 2023, Wildberries founder Tatyana Bakalchuk visited Kyrgyzstan and met with former Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov to request land for a logistics center. However, subsequently, the company implemented a similar project in Uzbekistan, where a site was allocated for a distribution center, the opening of which is scheduled for 2026.

Kerimbek uulu emphasized that Uzbekistan is not a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, unlike Kyrgyzstan, which should have provided an advantage in establishing a large logistics hub.