TASHKENT: Uzbekistan’s agricultural export company Uzagroexport plans to export more than 1.27 million tons of fruit and vegetables in 2017, the Jahon information agency reports. This year, Uzbekistan will continue increasing exports of fresh and processed fruit and vegetable products. In 2016, Uzbekistan adopted more than a dozen legal acts aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable exports and creating favorable conditions for suppliers. This contributed to a significant increase in exports. In 2016, Uzbekistan exported 818,500 tons of fruit and vegetables, 38.3% more than in 2015, including 242,100 tons of vegetables (29.6% of the total), 229,600 tons of fruits (28%), 6,800 tons of melons (0.8 %), 96,200 tons of grapes (11.7%), 120,200 tons of legumes (14.7%), and 124,500 tons of dried products (15.2%).
Fruit and vegetables were exported to 43 countries, while the map of exports has expanded by 9 new countries last year: canned capers were delivered to Spain and Italy for the first time, walnuts – to Lebanon, dried grapes – to Vietnam and Israel, dried vegetables – to Belgium, grapes and melons – to Switzerland, dried apricots – to the Netherlands, grapes and dried fruits – to the Czech Republic. In 2016, Uzbekistan ranked 48th among the world’s largest exporters of fruit and vegetables. Last year, Uzagroexport opened five trading houses in partnership with Russia’s major wholesale companies, and two in Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan is completing works on the opening of trading houses in India, Germany, Poland, Latvia, the United Arab Emirates, and Belarus as part of expanding its export map. Trading houses in these countries will be registered by the end of 2017 and will start operation. Talks are currently underway on opening of joint trading houses in Kuwait, Oman, Japan, and South Korea, which would also diversify the outlets. These markets are interested in importing Uzbek cherries, melons, pomegranates, apricots, beans, walnuts, peanuts, dried fruit, and legumes. Uzbekistan also started exporting mung beans to India. In the fourth quarter of 2016, a pilot batch of 1,700 tons worth more than $1.1 million was shipped to India.
