Uzbek government takes steps to expand fruit and vegetable exports and find new markets, as part of its priority objectives.
In 2016 the government passed over ten legislative acts to expand fruit and vegetable exports and support exporters.
The September 19, 2016 Resolution, which lowered the rate of currency revenue sale rate from 50% to 25%, was one of the factors to boost the exports.
The state support for fruit and vegetable export yielded good results, says Uzagroexport press-service.
In 2016, Uzbek enterprises exported 818.5 thousand tons of fruit and vegetables, reporting a 38.3% growth. They exported 242.1 thousand tons of vegetables (29.6% of total exports), 229.6 thousand tons of fruit (28%), 6.8 thousand tons of gourds (0.8%), 96.2 thousand tons of grapes (11.7%), 120.2 thousand tons of legumes (14.7%) and 124.5 thousand tons of dried produce (15.2%).
Uzbekistan exported 65 types of fruit and vegetables, including fresh cherries (14.4%), dried grapes (12.8%), fresh apricots (7.63%), fresh grapes (7.57%), green gram (6.91%), fresh tomatoes (6.86%), beans (6.51%), greenery (5.65%), fresh peaches (4.11%), and fresh persimmon (3.96%).
Uzbekistan exported to 43 countries, including 9 new markets: Spain and Italy (canned capers), Lebanon (walnuts), Vietnam (dried grapes), Belgium (dried vegetables), Switzerland (fresh grapes and melons), the Netherlands (dried apricots), Israel (dried grapes), and the Czech Republic (grapes and dried fruit).
Uzbekistan occupies the 48th place in total exports worldwide.
With an aim to inform foreign companies about Uzbek fruit and vegetables and finished products, the government initiated July’s Extraordinary and November’s I International Fruit and Vegetable Fairs.
Over 300 ministry representatives, companies and organizations from 33 countries attended the fairs.
The fairs offered a platform for new partnerships and agreements, including shipping contracts with Tander and X5 Retail Group.
Following the I International Fruit and Vegetable Fair, entrepreneurs signed contracts with a total worth of $1.009 billion, to ship 1,421 tons of products.
Export prices are set under the Presidential Decree P-4720 (September 30, 2016), considering existing agreements, market prices worldwide, and conclusions by Uzstandard-accredited consulting firms.
The work enabled Uzagroexport to open five trading houses in Russia and two in Kazakhstan, shipping 4.2 tons of produce worth $2.7 million.
Other markets are now being considered, including Kuwait, Oman, Japan, and Korea, to open trading houses. These countries import cherries, melons, pomegranates, apricots, beans, walnuts, peanuts, dried fruit and legumes.
A contract to export gram to India led to a 1,717.8 ton export ($1.167 million) in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Uzbek farmers also take part in international fairs, supported by the Small Business and Private Entrepreneurship Export Support Fund. At WorldFood Moscow 2016, Uzbek entrepreneurs signed contracts to ship fruit and vegetables totaling $114 million to Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine.
Fruit and vegetable export is expected to notch 1.27 million tons in 2017 with Uzagroexport based on solid contracts.
The export expansion work is to continue this year. The government’s support is expected to ensure further increase in fresh and processed fruit and vegetable exports. (UzReport/Business World Magazine)