TASHKENT (TCA) — During the 2017 cherry season in Uzbekistan, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with Uzbek cherry entrepreneurs to open up new export markets in Europe and South Asia, the Jahon information agency reported.
USAID said that this year, 110 metric tons of sweet cherries worth $350,000 were sold to customers in London and Singapore.
Uzbekistan now boasts an annual average 100,000 metric ton harvest, ranking fifth in the world for cherry production. This successful growth is supported by USAID’s projects which support the diversification of the Uzbek agriculture sector focusing on high-value horticulture. Growth in this sector provides Uzbekistan with higher paid agricultural jobs.
USAID’s projects cover 12 provinces in 33 districts across Uzbekistan and since 2016 have been working to improve the quality and volume of agricultural production, find new markets for producers and link agricultural educational institutions with the private sector.
Since 1992, USAID has provided more than $356 million in assistance to Uzbekistan.
Today, Uzbekistan is Central Asia’s largest producer of fruit and vegetables.
In recent years, the country has grown into a major exporter of fruit and vegetable products. Previously, they were traditionally delivered mainly to Russia, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries, while today they are shipped to the markets of over 120 countries. The map of supplies has expanded largely due to the establishment of exports to Indonesia, Norway, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, USA, Thailand, and Japan.
