BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
The General Administration of Customs of China announced on April 27 that pomegranates from Uzbekistan that meet the established phytosanitary requirements will be allowed for export to China, Trend reports referring to Uzbek media.
According to information, Uzbekistan still exports a relatively small amount of pomegranate - from 10,000 to 15,000 tons per year, most of which goes to Russia and other CIS countries.
At the same time China with $1 billion worth of pomegranate imports, is the world’s largest importer of this fruit.
It was noted that the pomegranate supply season in Uzbekistan usually lasts from September to November, which overlaps with the Chinese season (July - November). In addition, pomegranate production in Uzbekistan is focused on local varieties that may be less attractive to Chinese consumers.
“The global pomegranate market is growing rapidly, and the presence of China, the world's largest buyer as a neighbor, suggests that Uzbekistan is making a good move by focusing on pomegranate cultivation,” economist at the Investment Department of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Andriy Yarmak said.
The economist also noted that Uzbekistan will have to develop large-scale commercial production, storage and refinement of new varieties of the fruit in order to meet the expectations of Chinese buyers, which will certainly take some time and cause some technological difficulties, solutions for which have yet to be found.
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