A severe winter surge across Central Asia since 2008 has led to a scarcity of basic vegetables, escalating prices and exacerbating existing inflation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation is particularly dire in Uzbekistan, where a record frost has revealed flaws in the national energy system, causing widespread power outages. In response, Uzbekistan has imposed a four-month ban on onion exports to curb price hikes, and Kazakhstan has taken similar steps with root vegetables due to similar price surges.