Uzbekistan seeks development of fruit and vegetable industry

/By Azernews/

By Nigar Abbasova

Uzbekistan, which enjoys a high potential in the agriculture sector, is engaged in the further development of the sector and expansion of its export potential.

The country signed some 270 deals with the total worth of $2 billion on the export of fruit and vegetable production during the «International fruit and vegetable fair» held in Tashkent on July 12-14, 2016.

The fair, organized under the order of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, allowed foreign customers to directly reach Uzbek producers and facilitated the process of purchase of fruit and vegetable production from Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan produces more than 17 million tons of fruits and vegetables per year. More than 4 million tons of the output is being exported. The volume of fruit and vegetable products manufactured in the country allow providing the needs of the population and delivering high quality products to foreign markets.

Main objectives of the fair were creation of mechanism, which will allow the country to enter foreign markets and present its food and vegetable production, as well as presentation of the country’s potential in this sector. The fair is expected to give a stimulus for the establishing of long-term, mutually beneficial relations between the fruit and vegetables producers, processing enterprises and foreign companies.

More than 170 companies representing all regions of the country participated in the fair.  The Uzbek food holding reported that as many as 27 percent of products which will be exported falls to a share of vegetables while fruit amount to 20 percent. The participants of the fair have also got acquainted with the farm enterprises and gardens located in Tashkent, Samarkand and Khorezm.

The volume of food and vegetable production increased by 6.7 percent and amounted to12.6 million tons in 2015. The country is planning to export about 1.2 million tons of food and vegetable products in 2016.