International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental
23
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijmef
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue01 2025
PAGE NO.
23-26
10.37547/ijmef/Volume05Issue02-06
Export of fruits and vegetables from Uzbekistan: current
situation, challenges and solutions
Nurullaeva Komila
LG Electronics in Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan
Received:
09 December 2024;
Accepted:
11 January 2025;
Published:
13 February 2025
Abstract:
This article aims to describe the current situation in Uzbekistan regarding the export of fruits to foreign
countries. The paper will discuss the challenges and possible ways of solving them for the increase of exports.
Keywords:
Export, fruits, vegetables, storage and distribution facilities.
Introduction:
Exports play a crucial role in a nation's
economy by generating revenue, creating employment
opportunities, and driving economic growth. Countries
benefit from their comparative advantages by
exporting goods and services, enhancing trade
balances and foreign currency reserves. Uzbekistan,
traditionally reliant on cotton as its primary export
commodity, has recently shifted focus to horticulture
due to food security concerns and environmental
challenges linked to cotton cultivation. As a result,
fruits and vegetables have become a significant
component of the country's export profile, contributing
substantially to economic development.
METHODS
This study analyzes Uzbekistan’s fruit export sector
using statistical data, government reports, and market
research studies. It assesses production volumes,
export trends, challenges, and proposed solutions
based on official data sources such as the Statistics
Agency of Uzbekistan and reports from international
trade organizations.
RESULTS
The global demand for fresh fruits and vegetables
continues to rise, presenting an opportunity for
Uzbekistan to expand its exports. In 2023, the country
exported 1.7 million tons of fruits and vegetables,
generating revenue of $1.2 billion. Key export
commodities include grapes (126,100 tons), peaches
(87,200 tons), melons and watermelons (148,100 tons),
and onions (299,600 tons). Major export destinations
include Russia (37% of total exports), Pakistan (16.7%),
China (12.3%), and Kazakhstan (10.3%). The export
volume increased by 1.1% compared to 2022.
DISCUSSION
Historically, agri-food trade in Uzbekistan has been
shaped by the Government's goals of self-sufficiency
and economic independence. Cotton has been
Uzbekistan's main export commodity and an important
source of hard currency for the Government since the
early 1990s, resulting in significant Government
involvement in its production, marketing and export.
However, food security issues, together with the
environmental and social problems associated with
cotton production, have precipitated a corresponding
shift in the country's crop mix, first to wheat and now
to horticulture, in which Uzbekistan has a comparative
advantage. As a result, Uzbekistan's fruit and vegetable
products are rapidly becoming the second-largest
export commodity group in the country. Revenues
from horticultural exports have more than tripled, from
about US$500 million in 2006 to US$1.2 billion in 2023.
As the population of the world keeps growing the
demand for fresh fruits and vegetables keeps growing
accordingly. Becoming a major player in this market can
significantly contribute to the country’s economy.
International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental
24
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijmef
International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental (ISSN: 2771-2257)
Year
2020
2028
Value
$143 904 million
$211 073 million
Table 1: Fresh fruits and vegetables market size and forecast.
Fruits and vegetables make up a significant portion of
Uzbekistan's agricultural industry in terms of both
potential and present production as well as exports.
Apples and peaches, which constitute the majority of
the global fruit market and are the most popular fruits
exported from Uzbekistan, are among the most
popular fruits in the international fruit and vegetable
market. Other popular fruits include grapes, apricots,
and melons. Uzbekistan's main vegetable exports are
onion, cabbage, and tomato. With 1.7 million tons
grown in 2023, the fruit and vegetable industry ranks
sixth overall in Uzbekistan's export profile and brought
in US$1.2 billion. They accounted for 6.8 per cent of
Uzbekistan’s total exports of US$24.4 billion in 2023.
Within edible fruit exports, melon and watermelon
accounted for 148.1 thousand tons or 8.7 per cent, and
onion accounted for 299.6 thousand tons or 17.6 per
cent.
№
Name
Tons
Percentage
1
Grapes
126 100
7.4
2
Peach
87 200
5.1
3
Melon & watermelon
148 100
8.7
4
Cherry
45 000
2.6
5
Apricot
63 000
3.7
6
Tomato
57 500
3.4
7
Cabbage
97 200
5.7
8
Onion
299 600
17.6
9
Dried grape & plum
93 300
5.4
10
Others
683 000
40.2
Table 2: Fruits and vegetables primarily exported from Uzbekistan.
According to the Statistics Agency, the export figure
increased by 1.1% or 18.9 thousand tons compared to
2022.
The export of fruit and vegetables from Uzbekistan is
mainly done to neighbouring countries and CIS
countries such as Russia.
№
Name of the country:
Percentage from total export:
1
Russia
37
2
Pakistan
16,7
3
China
12.3
4
Kazakhstan
10.3
Table 3: Countries where Uzbekistan mainly exported fruit and vegetables in 2023.
Challenges and ways to resolve them:
Uzbekistan has considerable export potential for
horticulture products, and maximizing this potential is
crucial to strengthening the nation's export standing.
Although prices for Uzbek (and other Central Asian)
fruit and vegetable products could be higher in Russian
and Chinese markets, it is anticipated that they will be
reduced due to issues with quality and safety.
International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental
25
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijmef
International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental (ISSN: 2771-2257)
One of the reasons for that is because fruits and
vegetables may contain pests as well as pollution
residues (pesticides, nitrates, etc.) that are beyond
allowable limit values. Additionally, a wide variety of
pesticides that are illegal in the USA, EU, and other
countries due to their acknowledged danger are
permitted for use in Uzbekistan.
Fruit and vegetable quality control has for many years
mostly focused on certification, or testing finished
goods before their release onto the market. But it's
been several decades since many safety indications
were updated. Farmers began using hundreds of
various kinds of preparations that had suddenly hit the
market without any control. Individual substance
indications were and are contained in national
regulatory papers; however, numerous novel
chemicals have surfaced throughout time and are not
listed in these publications. Not to mention that the
test procedures are quite outdated, and the current
laboratory infrastructure prevents competent testing
even for the indicators listed in the statute.
This gap has numerous causes. Isolation comes first.
The government has also outright prohibited the
export of certain food items because of the inadequate
level of food security. The second factor is the lack of
competition in the domestic food production industry.
In other words, businesses aren't always eager to spend
money updating their facilities, implementing global
hygienic and excellent manufacturing processes,
teaching staff new techniques, etc. This explains the
lack of demand for experts in disciplines including
chemistry, agro-technology, food microbiology, animal
husbandry, and crop production. Thirdly, Uzbekistan's
food laboratories lack international accreditation. Their
infrastructure is outdated, and experts aren't properly
trained
in
contemporary
procedures,
testing
techniques, etc.
The steps required to solve the quality problem are
quite simple but need huge budgeting. The list of
chemicals should be updated with all the chemicals
currently present at the market and used by farmers.
The government must facilitate all the laboratories
with needed facilities and organize training for their
workers. With these two changes, the standards of
food safety will rise and farmers will start investing in
the The steps required to address the quality problem
are relatively simple, but they require a significant
budget. Firstly, the list of chemicals used by farmers
needs to be updated, including all the chemicals
currently available in the market. Secondly, the
government must provide the necessary facilities to all
laboratories and organize training for their workers.
These two changes will improve the standards of food
safety, which will encourage farmers to invest in
upgrading their cultivation technologies to meet the
new standards.
The other major problem is the current state of pre-
cooling technologies. Pre-cooling of fruits and
vegetables is a process of rapid reduction of their
temperature from the initial temperature (after
harvest) to the required temperature for subsequent
technological operations (transportation, short-term or
long-term storage).
Although a vast network of sizable cold storage
facilities has been created in Uzbekistan, their main
purpose is not pre-cooling. For the same reason, the
number of facilities offering pre-cooling, cleaning,
sorting, packaging, and further cooling services is now
restricted. Furthermore, farmers frequently overlook
the significance of maintaining the proper temperature
for fruits and vegetables during pre-cooling. A
significant consideration in this process is the crop of
fruits and vegetables, which they overlook when
choosing the pre-cooling temperature. Additionally, to
prevent the spread of diseases, various products
require different storage facilities. Fruit and vegetables
are frequently sorted and packaged as soon as they are
harvested, which results in a higher risk of rotting
goods, reduced prices, and rejected customers,
especially in the EU. Nevertheless, they must first be
pre-cooled before being sorted and packaged.
Investments in modest cooling chain facilities close to
the fields could help with these issues. It's crucial to
launch an educational campaign aimed at farmers,
outlining the cooling chain's significance and the proper
ways of using it. Fruit quality concerns will be
addressed in this way and the amount of time they can
be stored before, during, and after export will be
increased.
The last main problem that needs to be resolved to
increase export rates is international standard
certifications. The government should encourage
farmers to get certificates of quality such as Global
G.A.P. or ISO 22000 to prove to exporting countries the
quality of fruits and vegetables.
However, the primary issue is that certifications are
expensive: Global G.A.P. may cost up to $10,000. Not
only are credentials expensive, but the process of
becoming certified requires money-spending on things
like production reorganizations and employee training.
The government pays for the certificates, but not the
preparation. An additional issue is that manufacturers
frequently prioritize being certified above developing
long-lasting quality control systems and fostering that
culture.
Establishing long-lasting quality management systems
International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental
26
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijmef
International Journal of Management and Economics Fundamental (ISSN: 2771-2257)
in businesses through the combination of financial
assistance, education, and training is how the
government should address this issue.
CONCLUSION
The export sector of fruit and vegetables in Uzbekistan
has a huge potential for development. Addressing
problems related to quality, storage, and certification
would help in entering new markets. The government
should eradicate these problems to open new
possibilities for economic growth.
Acknowledgement
: I would like to thank my academic
adviser Abduraimova.N.
for helping to write this paper. And I would like to
acknowledge the contributions of the Statistics Agency
of Uzbekistan and various market research institutions
for providing valuable data and insights.
REFERENCES
ТЕХНИЧЕСКОЕ
СОДЕЙСТВИЕ
МОДЕРНИЗАЦИИ
СЕЛЬСКОГО ХОЗЯЙСТВА РЕСПУБЛИКИ УЗБЕКИСТАН
(P162303).
(n.d.).
Available
at:
https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/70971
1544160395542/pdf/132758-
AgTradePolicyUzbekistan-August-16-2018-RU.pdf.
Verified Market Research. (n.d.). Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables Market Size, Share, Trends & Forecast.
[online]
Available
at:
https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/fre
sh-fruits-and-vegetables-market/.
uz, K. (n.d.). Uzbekistan increases export of fruits and
vegetables.
[online]
Kun.uz.
Available
at:
https://kun.uz/en/news/2024/01/24/uzbekistan-
increases-export-of-fruits-and-
vegetables#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20Uzbekistan%20
exported%201.7 [Accessed 16 Mar. 2024].
fergana.agency. (n.d.). Узбекистан переориентирует
экспорт овощей и фруктов на более выгодные
рынки.
[online]
Available
at:
https://fergana.agency/news/132820/#:~:text=%E2%8
4%B9%EF%B8%8F%20%D0%9F%D0%BE%20%D0%B4%
D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%BC%20%D0%
90%D0%B3%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%81%D1%8
2%D0%B2%D0%B0%20%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1
%82%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0
%B8 [Accessed 16 Mar. 2024].
Газета.uz.
(2021).
Что
мешает
экспорту
плодоовощной продукции? [online] Available at:
https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2021/09/03/export-
horticulture/.
Как
реализовать
экспортный
потенциал
Узбекистана в ЕС: Ключевые препятствия в двух
цепочках создания стоимости. (n.d.). Available at:
https://www.german-economic-team.com/wp-
content/uploads/2022/02/GET_UZB_PB_07_2021_ru.
pdf [Accessed 16 Mar. 2024].
