Uzbekistan’s fruit exports to China decreased by 16% YoY in January-August. Compared to 2019 this number plummeted three-fold.
According to EastFruit analysts, the decline in the export supply of cherries was especially noticeable. In 2021, Uzbekistan exported only 14 tons of cherries. This was the lowest figure since Uzbekistan gained access to the Chinese cherry market. In 2020, exports amounted to 105 tons, while in 2019 the country exported over 600 tons.
Analysts said that Uzbekistan was forced to supply cherries mainly to Russia and much cheaper than in 2020 because the quality did not meet the requirements of buyers from other countries.
“The global markets for fresh and dried fruits are becoming more competitive, as production in developing countries increases. This is facilitated by a more free dissemination of information about cultivation and refinement technologies, which allows for faster implementation of these methods in production. However, since there is no shortage of fruits in the world, it is very important to ensure high quality and safety of grown fruits in the sense in which buyers understand it, and not the producers themselves. However, in post-Soviet countries, too little attention is paid to the aspect of fruit quality, their refinement and marketing, which leads to the need to sell products at extremely low prices or even send them for processing for a penny”, explains Andriy Yarmak, economist at the investment department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The export of raisins to China fell to the lowest levels in the last seven years. Deliveries decreased by 17% YoY. (Uzreport/Business World Magazine)
