The payment system for irrigation water will be changed in Kyrgyzstan — charges will now be based on the actual volume consumed (per cubic meter) rather than per hectare of land. Approved tariffs for 2026 were reported to 24.kg news agency by Nurlan Tynaliev, Deputy Director of the Water Resources Service at the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry.
The new tariffs for 2026 are:
- 15 tyiyns per cubic meter during the vegetation period (active irrigation);
- 5 tyiyns per cubic meter during the non-vegetation period.
In 2025, farmers paid a fixed amount of 500 soms per hectare. However, this system caused dissatisfaction and inconvenience among agricultural producers, prompting the change in pricing policy.
Nurlan Tynaliev noted that the new tariffs remain socially oriented. The actual cost of one cubic meter of irrigation water is 87 tyiyns, but the government does not plan to raise prices to this level due to the current socio-economic situation.
Regarding seasonal forecasts, the Hydrometeorological Service will provide an exact report in April. Meanwhile, representatives of the Ministry have stated in parliament that the country may face water shortages this year.
