BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 27
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
The export of fresh apricot from Uzbekistan in 2020 reached a record 74,500 tons, Trend reports with reference to EastFruit portal.
EastFruit analysts in Uzbekistan report a virtually complete absence of export shipments of fresh apricots from the country in 2021, despite the fact that now the export season should be in full swing.
Moreover, due to high prices for apricots in the domestic market and relatively low prices in neighboring Tajikistan, Uzbekistan is importing apricots from the neighboring country this year.
According to the information, until 2021, fresh apricot was the fastest-growing Uzbek export position among fruits, increasing almost one and a half times annually despite the global downward trend in export prices for apricots.
In 2020, the export of fresh apricot from Uzbekistan, according to Trademap (Trade statistics for international business development), reached a record 74,500tons, (58,000 tons in 2019, 43,000 tons in 2018 and 23,000 tons in 2017).
Thus, Uzbekistan in terms of the export volume of apricots came second in the world and was second only to Spain, which supplied 96,000 tons of these fruits to foreign markets in 2020.
EastFruit analysts reports that the main reason for the termination of the export of apricots in 2021 lies in the frosts, which strongly “hooked” the gardeners of Uzbekistan and to a lesser extent affected the harvest in Tajikistan.
“Two waves of frost, which came at the end of February and then also in mid-March, caused serious damage to the harvest of stone fruits this year, especially apricots,” the message said.
EastFruit experts previously estimated the loss of the apricot crop in Uzbekistan at least 60-65 percent. At the same time, it was noted that the real damage could be even greater. They also noted the possible negative impact of bad weather on the quality of the Uzbek apricot.
As of May 21, 2021, the average wholesale price of apricot in Moscow, the capital of Uzbekistan's traditional export market, amounted to $2.74 per kilogram. At the same time, prices for apricots on the domestic market of Uzbekistan, despite the massive harvest, ranged from 26,000 soums ($2.5) per kilogram to 58,000 soums ($5.5) per kilogram, depending on the size, variety and other quality characteristics.
Also, it was noted that prices for fresh apricots in Uzbekistan at this time were 6.5 times higher than last year on the same date.
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