Potential markets for fruit and vegetables in Central Asia are the Baltic countries, as well as Ukraine and Belarus. The dynamics of recent years shows that the growth of imports from Central Asia to Ukraine is in double digits. Greenhouse vegtable such as tomato and cucumber are important for Ukraine and peppers are a hot niche in a long-term perspective.

These ideas were expressed by Fedir Rybalko, an expert of the agricultural market, during a virtual training on the effective organization of promotion and packaging of fruit and vegetables for export. The event was organized by the USAID Central Asia Competitiveness, Trade and Jobs Activity Project (CTJ).

“When trading with Ukraine and Belarus, Central Asia has a competitive advantage – no customs duties. Besides, Ukrainian consumers are loyal to products from these countries. As income rises, consumption of pepper rises. Tomato and cucumber remain an important market segment. Consumers often go to the retail stores where a wide range of tomatoes is available,” Fedir Rybalko said.

The expert explained the main factors affecting the quality of tomatoes:

• Temperature. A certain temperature should be maintained till tomatoes arrive in the retail network or in the markets.

“The temperature during the two-week storage is important. If it is below 10°C, damage to tomatoes may occur. They are normally stored at a temperature of 10 and 15°C. Storing tomatoes at 20°C and above leads to a deterioration in their quality,” the expert explains.

• Postharvest ripening. This is very important for tomatoes, especially when it comes to long-distance transportation.
• Mechanical damage. Producers, exporters, packers must comply with the technology of preparing goods for export, avoiding mechanical damage. Mechanical damage will lead to defects, and to losses respectively.
• Diseases. Diseases can occur not only during the production process, but also when technological operation protocols and disinfection procedures are violated. The most common tomato diseases are anthracnose, late blight and fusarium.

At the same time, the expert emphasized that there are certain niches (tomato segments) that are growing due to the trend and consumer preferences: smaller size of tomatoes and packaging, cocktail culture of consumption (tomatoes are used as a snack).

“The Dutch came up with the idea of ​​wrapping tomatoes in a glass with a semicircular lid about 15 years ago. In fact, it is an element of the snack culture. Convenient packaging reduces the time of consumption, which attracts buyers and stimulates demand,” the expert noted. 

According to the expert, cucumber is to a large extent a crop for the domestic market, but Spain, Turkey, Iran are quite big exporters of cucumbers. The storing capacity of cucumber is low due to the saturation of the tissues with water.

“The optimum temperature for cucumbers is 10-12.5°C. The required humidity is 95%. Fusarium is the most common disease for this culture,” Fedir Rybalko said.

The expert also added that pepper is a fast-growing crop, but rather difficult to grow: “It takes several years to get the necessary experience in the production of this crop. The optimum temperature for storing peppers is 7.5°C. Acceptable humidity is > 95%. The most common diseases are altenaria and gray rot. Sorting lines must be provided  with additional soft materials, which, when sorting peppers, reduce the mechanical damage: cuts, pressure.”

The main requirements of export markets:

– Certified by Global GAP, SMETA, GRASP.

– Certified Euro pallets.

– Logger (temperature control sensor in transit).

– Plastic packaging with modified atmosphere.

“Plastic bags are important for cucumbers and peppers. All products in the box should be tied in a plastic bag. It creates a microenvironment that releases carbon dioxide and maintains moisture. This solves the problem of eventual temperature variation” Fedir Rybalko concluded.

Сообщение Greenhouse vegetables from Central Asia – which ones and where to export? появились сначала на EastFruit.

An official statement was published on the Rosselkhoznadzor website. It says that given the information by the State Plants Quarantine Inspection of Uzbekistan on strengthening control over phytosanitary certification when exporting quarantined products to Russia, the department deems it possible to allow the import of all plant products from Fergana since April 7, 2021 with assurances of the Uzbek side, but with the exception of tomatoes and peppers.

The import of tomatoes and peppers from the Fergana region of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation was banned from November 26, 2020. The Rosselkhoznadzor explained this by referring to the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) detected in tomatoes. As stated by Rosselkhoznadzor, the agency introduced this restriction in order to prevent the introduction and spread of this virus in Russia, guided by paragraph 1 Article VII of the International Plant Protection Convention. Viruses of brown rugose of tomatoes, spotted wilting of tomatoes and pepino mosaic virus are not included in the Unified List of Quarantine Objects of the EAEU. As a temporary quarantine phytosanitary measure, on 27 July 2020, a requirement was introduced to ensure their absence in seeds, seedlings, tomatoes and peppers imported to Russia. The requirement will remain in effect until these viruses are included in the Unified List of Quarantine Objects of the EAEU. At the same time, the department appealed to the Eurasian Economic Commission with a request to promptly consider the issue of amending the Unified List with the indicated pests.

A ban was imposed on the supply of all plant products from the Fergana region of Uzbekistan to Russia on December 11, 2020 due to the detection of the khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium Ev) in dried apricots that arrived in Russia.

Around this time, imports of vegetables and fruits from other countries were also banned for quarantine reasons. Bans were imposed on fruit and vegetables from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and even Belarus.

According to the Rosselkhoznadzor report dated December 3, 2020, during the quarantine phytosanitary control of a 1-ton commodity consignment of dried apricots from Uzbekistan, a quarantine object for Russia and the EAEU member states, a khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium Ev.), was detected. This batch entered Russia accompanied by an Uzbek phytosanitary certificate attesting that the products comply with Russian phytosanitary requirements.

Khapra beetle is considered officially eliminated in Uzbekistan. In 2008, due to the detection of the khapra beetle in dried fruits, the Rosselkhoznadzor already introduced temporary restrictions on the import of quarantined products from Uzbekistan, which were later canceled based on the results of an audit of the Uzbek phytosanitary control system.

Khapra beetle is a quarantine pest for many countries, including the states of East and South Africa, Bahrain, China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Germany, Canada, USA, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and New Zealand.

Back in early December 2020, the Rosselkhoznadzor planned to initiate negotiations with the Uzbek side to discuss the current situation. As evidenced by the decision of the Rosselkhoznadzor of April 7 of this year, the negotiations were successful, with the exception of tomatoes and peppers.

Сообщение Russia lifts temporary restrictions on the imports of plant products from the Fergana region of Uzbekistan, except for tomatoes and peppers появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to Comtrade, exports of Turkish peppers increased by 35.38% in 2020 when compared to the previous year amounting to 150,710 tons and increased by 54.87% over the past five years.

The increase in exports occurred despite the high levels of pesticides in these vegetables. According to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), Turkish peppers entering the European Union triggered 111 alerts in 2020 alone.

The average price for all peppers exported by Turkey was 0.91 euros/kg in 2020, as reported by AgroBusiness.

In 2020, Germany became the largest buyer of Turkish peppers at 31,050 tons, which is 29.6% more than in the previous year, and it accounted for 20.61% of all Turkish pepper exports. Germany paid Turkey 36.21 million euros for peppers at an average price of 1.17 euros/kg.

Read also: Will support for “Buy Ukrainian” promote the new cucumber season at twice the price than from Turkey? 

The second-largest buyer of Turkish peppers was Russia with 27,170 tons worth 20.61 million euros at an average price of 0.76 euros/kg, which is 18.03% of all exported Turkish peppers. Russia increased purchases by 58.95% compared to the previous year and purchased 20 times more Turkish peppers than in 2017.

Romania is the third-largest buyer of Turkish peppers with 18,840 tons (12.5% ​​of the total) worth 21.51 million euros and an average price of 1.14 euros/kg.

Сообщение Turkey increased pepper exports by 55% over the past 5 years появились сначала на EastFruit.

Since December 18, 2020, Russia has allowed imports of tomatoes and peppers from seven Uzbek enterprises, CentralAsia reports, citing the Rosselkhoznadzor’s press service. 

Russia made this decision based on a survey of production facilities and analysis of greenhouses’ conditions in the Fergana region of Uzbekistan. At the same time, the ban on the import of tomatoes and peppers from the Navoi region continues due to the detection of the virus in the products and products from the Kashkadarya region of the republic.

The white list includes the following companies: LLC “Golden Tree” (Kushtepa district), Farm “Farhod Rancho” (city of Quvasoy), LLC “Fargona Zie Kuruvchi” (city Quvasoy), which export tomatoes, and Farm “New Wave” (Oltiarik district), LLC “Zhilokor Zamini “(Dangara district), LLC” Saodatli Dil Farovon “(Dangara district), LLC “Yuldashev Eldor “(Beshariq district), which grow peppers.

Earlier, the Rosselkhoznadzor announced a partial ban on importing tomatoes and peppers into the country from Armenia, particularly from the Armavir region. Almost simultaneously with this ban, Russia restricted the import of apples and tomatoes from Azerbaijan.

Vegetables from several regions of Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Turkey have come under restrictions due to the detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus, tomato spotted wilt virus and Pepino mosaic virus.

Сообщение Russia allows imports of tomatoes and peppers for seven companies from Uzbekistan появились сначала на EastFruit.

On December 7, 2020, via a video conference, negotiations were held between representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor and the Food and Control Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey.

Rosselkhoznadzor has indicated its concern regarding the detection of the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), tomato spotted wilt virus, and the pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in Turkish products.

Rosselkhoznadzor introduced temporary quarantine phytosanitary measures against these viruses in vegetables supplied from Turkey to Russia after infections were reported in 9 cases of products with the pepino mosaic virus, 1 case with the tomato brown rugose fruit virus, and 1 case with tomato spotted wilting virus.

Given the high-level threat posed by these viruses, Rosselkhoznadzor was forced to impose a ban on the import of tomatoes and peppers from the Turkish provinces of Izmir and Antalya. The contaminated products were supplied from these regions of Turkey.

Read also: Russia introduces new ban on all vegetables and fruits from Uzbekistan

In addition, the service is also concerned about the increasing cases in the detection of quarantine objects in products for Russia such as the South American tomato moth in fresh tomatoes coming from Turkey and moniliasis (brown rot) in pears.

Rosselkhoznadzor reported that it promptly notified Turkey of each detected violation and expressed its readiness to duplicate the notifications.

The Food and Control Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey noted that it is conducting a detailed study of the phytosanitary situation in the country for the indicated viruses. The ministry developed and distributed a circular with information about tomato and pepper diseases as well as ordered the destruction of all products infected with the tomato brown rugose fruit virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, and the pepino mosaic virus.

The parties agreed that the Turkish department will send to Rosselkhoznadzor detailed information on the measures taken as well as the results of their investigations on each virus and quarantine object detected in the products.

Сообщение Russia bans tomatoes and peppers imports from two Turkish provinces появились сначала на EastFruit.