The total area of ​​medium and large persimmon orchards in the Fergana region of Uzbekistan has increased from 604 hectares to 804 hectares, i.e. by 33%, over the past three years, EastFruit analysts report with reference to Uza.uz.

More than 10 varieties of persimmon are grown in the Fergana region. The leading regions in persimmon production are Altyaryk, Kuva, Fergana and Besharyk.

Fergana region is one of the leaders in the export of persimmon from Uzbekistan. It became the first in terms of persimmon exports by regions of Uzbekistan in 2021. According to the State Statistics Committee, 20.2 thousand tonnes of persimmons were shipped from the Fergana region to foreign markets in 11 months of 2021, which is 32.6% of the total exports of persimmons from Uzbekistan during this period.

Read also: Uzbekistan became the fastest growing market for fruits and vegetables from Iran in 2021

Uzbekistan is one of the largest exporters of persimmons in the world and it has been among the Top-5 global exporters over the past few years. However, the mass harvest of persimmons in 2021 began 10 days later than usual and it was lower than in 2020 due to weather anomalies in winter and early spring of 2021. As a result, the purchase prices of exporters from farmers in 2021 were higher than in 2020. In addition, the volume of exports of persimmons from Uzbekistan in 2021 was 23% lower compared to the previous year. Details on how weather anomalies affected prices and export volumes of persimmons and other fruits, nuts and vegetables in Uzbekistan in 2021, are available in the comprehensive analysis by EastFruit experts.

Сообщение The area of persimmon orchards increased by a third in the Fergana region of Uzbekistan появились сначала на EastFruit.

2021 was not an easy year for Georgian growers and exporters of fruits and vegetables, but despite the difficulties, it ends quite well. Georgian EastFruit team offers 10 main trends and news of the sector.

1. The ability to diversify exports to the most attractive markets while saving on logistics. According to the results of trade in 10 months of 2021, Georgia has already earned almost $150 million from the export of nuts and fruits. The figures for this group are most likely not to change much compared to 2020 and export earnings will be close to $160 million. As for vegetables, we note an unprecedented growth in exports +163 % – from $8.7 million in 2020 to $22.8 million in 10 months of 2021. As for the export structure, the share of Russia is a record one over the past 10 years – 80%. The geography of exports of fruits and nuts from Georgia includes Russia and the EU – 32% and 47%, respectively (based on the data for 2020), but there is a trend towards an increase in exports to Russia this year. While trade with the EU is mainly concentrated on hazelnuts, 80–90% of the rest of the group (berries, stone fruits, apples, citrus fruits) is exported to the Russian Federation.

Although the final trading results for 2021 will be available only in the second half of January, it is clear that the value of Russia as a trading partner of Georgia has grown by 5-7% compared to last year. As the experience of many countries, including Georgia itself, shows, an excessive focus on one trading partner is very risky, especially if it is as unpredictable as Russia. Therefore, the general trend is very negative.

On the other hand, it is gratifying that some Georgian exporters are trying to diversify their exports and are exploring the market of the Middle East. The export of fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) by air is already well mastered, but Georgia is doing bad in exporting such perishable goods by land.

There were the first attempts to export table grapes to Qatar in refrigerated containers through Azerbaijan and Iran this year. This invaluable experience has shown all the difficulties of the process – packaging, the formation of an export batch of high-quality products and the proper control over the entire supply chain. At the same time, we also managed to feel the potential profitability of this direction. Importers from the Middle East give a positive assessment of Georgian fruits and are interested in purchasing table grapes, cherries, peaches, plums and oranges from Georgia.

2. Price and trade swings, records and potato business openings. 2021 started with growers’ protests over low prices for potatoes due to lack of demand, but in the following months external demand increased so much that the export of Georgian potatoes overtook even expensive and trendy blueberries in terms of revenue by July.

Exports in the middle of the year were driven by low stocks and high prices for potatoes in Russia, which previously supplied potatoes to Georgia. Russians bought so many potatoes in the second quarter of 2021 that Georgia even had to import unusually large volumes of potatoes in July and August to meet domestic demand.

When harvest started in September, the exports of potatoes from Georgia became possible again. The reason is the same – high prices for potatoes in Russia due to poor harvests and reduction of areas planted with potatoes. Following the resumption of intensive potato exports in the fall, the Georgian market may face a new potato shortage in the coming months.

Overall, Georgia exported potatoes worth a record $16 million in the first 11 months of 2021, which is 4 times higher than the previous export record. Prices during export periods were the highest (if compared on a monthly basis) in the last 7 years.

The last season has shown that the Georgian supply chain is largely unprepared, with importers buying potatoes straight from fields. However, the situation was unique this year – Russia did not have much choice in where to get potatoes, so the buyers agreed to these conditions. If Georgia wants to be a stable exporter of potatoes in the future, the industry will have to invest a lot of money in storing, washing, sorting and packaging, as well as improving the quality of potatoes.

This is why another major event in the Georgian potato business in 2021 should be noted – some Georgian potato growers became convinced that investments in quality pay off. Potato growers who focused on quality felt more confident and earned more, regardless of the overall supply and demand.

3. Georgia has set a course for the development of the greenhouse sector. According to Georgia’s agriculture development strategy 2030, new greenhouses in the country will be createdon 500 hectares.

Aromatic herbs production in greenhouses is a traditional business for Western Georgia growers who export 50-60% of the country’s fresh aromatic herbs. But the approaches to production, packaging and logistics that we showed in this video remain ineffective and outdated. Therefore, Georgia is gradually losing even traditional markets for fresh herbs, yielding them to Iran and Uzbekistan.

To modernize the sector, increase the technological level of production, handling, cooling and logistics, and thus ensure the export of greenhouse products to a more profitable price segment, as the Italian company Orto Ricci did, the authorities are inviting investors to the country. And if the well-known state project “Plant the Future” and preferential agricultural loans are focused on supporting Georgian companies, then foreign investors are invited to develop the production of vegetables or herbs for supplies to the Russian market or the markets of the former USSR and the Middle East.

The Agrozone Imereti greenhouse cluster provides foreign investors with a unique opportunity to purchase or lease a fully prepared serviced agricultural plot in Georgia through a predetermined foreign investment approval mechanism.

If you have not submitted your application yet, hurry up – applications for participation will be accepted in the Call for Proposals until the end of 2021!

4. Nut production in Georgia is expanding rapidly. In the next 7 years, the production of almonds in Georgia will grow16 times, and the coefficient of self-sufficiency in walnuts has already approached 100%. Therefore, growers who sell the first harvest from modern almond and walnut orchards to the local market are already planning to export. Having experience in managing the quality of hazelnuts, Georgian walnut growers invest in further processing: drying, shelling and sorting. This year two new plants joined the existing walnut processing plant, the work of which is available to watch here. Of particular interest was our video about the work of the Anigosi walnut drying and processing plant.

According to the Association of Almond and Walnut Producers, next year five more factories will be added to the existing capacity, which now reaches 14 tonnes of walnuts per hour. At the same time, there is a shortage of capacities for processing almonds. According to EastFruit, the first almond processing plant is scheduled to open in early 2022. You can see how almonds are harvested in the largest orchard in Georgia here.

In addition to the most popular nuts in the world – almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachio – American pecans also grow in Georgia. They were initially planted for durable wood production, but hazelnut importers appear to be interested in pecans as well. Although there are no commercial plantations in the country yet, this nut is already being handled for export to traditional markets – the EU and China. According to the growers’ forecasts, the current potential of Georgia is 150 tonnes of pecans per year.

5. Growth in exports and a harvest of hazelnuts with severe quality problems. The situation on the hazelnut market remains complicated. Despite the fact that global trade in hazelnuts is fallingon average by 8% per year, additional pressure on prices is exerted by the collapse of the Turkish lira, the rate of which has more than halved since the beginning of the year. Therefore, Georgian trade slowed down in November and the factories are working on fulfilling contracts.

The hazelnut season turned out to be rather short, as due to the cold spring and heavy rains in August, the hazelnut harvest in Georgia began a week or two later than expected. The rains also affected the quality of hazelnuts from Western Georgia. Therefore, along with the record export volume, we also noted a record number of returns of hazelnuts from the EU due to non-compliance with quality and safety requirements. There were 13 returns in the 2020 season, and there are already 25 returns in the 2021 season, although it’s not over yet. At the same time, the growers claim that when repeated analyzes were carried out in 2021, no traces of aflatoxins were detected.

Could the struggle for quality influence the decision of the global leader Ferrero to sell 1.8 thousand hectares of hazelnut orchard in Georgia to a local company? The question remains open.

Despite the problems, Georgian hazelnut exporters still managed to get the highest export earnings in the last five years. This was due to a poor harvest in Italy and, accordingly, a sharp increase in demand for Georgian inshell hazelnuts, which Italians use for processing. As a result, the export of inshell hazelnuts increased to a record 5.9 thousand tonnes and $16 million in August-November 2021. The total income from all hazelnut exports, which is slightly overestimated due to sorting and re-export back to the EU, amounted to $68 million for the specified period.

The general trend of the last few years – the production of hazelnuts in Georgia is moving to the east – to Kakheti, where favorable conditions are created for the cultivation of hazelnuts due to climate change. Commercial hazelnut plantations in eastern Georgia have already been established by a Swiss chocolate maker, which was one of the main news of the year for the sector. On the contrary, Ferrero sold its plantations in Georgia.

6. The first commercial avocado plantation was established in Georgia. We have repeatedly noted that avocado is the fastest growing positionin the global fruit and vegetable trade. In this regard, the establishment of the first commercial avocado plantation in Georgia by Nutsge on 6 hectares in Lanchkhuti, Guria municipality, was a great news for the region. The owners talked little about the details of the project from the start, although they hoped that by planting the right varieties and creating the right conditions, their project would be a success. The first winter requires special attention, when the seedlings will pass the frost resistance test in practice.

The farm has not yet passed the cold test, as the harsh weather in Georgia is expected in the coming months. Nevertheless, the company has already covered the trees with agrofibre to protect them from frost. It is expected that the temperature in winter will not drop below minus 10 degrees Celsius in the area where the farm is located.

Some problems with the seedlings have already showed up due to excess moisture, which in some plants caused root rot. Heavy rains in late summer and early fall this year have created problems not only for avocados, but also for traditional horticultural crops in Western Georgia, such as hazelnuts and mandarins. Although some of the seedlings have dried up, the company has no plans to replace them with imported seedlings. They plan to work only with plants that survive, hoping to start producing their own seedlings in the future.

7. Blueberry exports growth by 50% to a new record level. Of course, this is a new record. The 2021 season started a week later due to unfavorable weather, and the first early batches become availableon the market at the end of May. Export expectations were high from the outset, and they were confirmed – Georgia received record revenues from blueberry exports in the 2021 season. Export revenue increased by 48% compared to the previous season and amounted to $5.5 million as of August 2021.

By the end of the season, blueberry exports reached almost 1,000 tonnes and increased in volume by 44% compared to 2020. The volume of blueberry exports from Georgia has grown 5 times in 2 years!

There were also some obstacles – panic among blueberry growers and exporters was caused by new rules for access to the Russian market. Exporters refrained from purchasing blueberries for some time after receiving this information, which led to a sharp drop in domestic prices and a temporary suspension of exports. It is possible that if not for these problems, the exports of blueberries from Georgia would have been even higher at the end of the 2021 season.

The EastFruit team visited the orchards during berry harvesting, studied the details of their production and exports, and shared an unique video about the export opportunities of Georgian blueberries. If you are planning to import blueberries from Georgia, EastFruit has prepared a list of the largest blueberry growers with contacts, volumes and photos of plantations.

Blueberries are attracting more and more investments, both in production and technology improvements. A representative office of a leading producer of blueberry seedlings has been operating in the country for the second season.

8. Georgia is increasing the exports of persimmons. Despite the fact that the persimmon harvest was damaged by severe hailin the east of the country in the Kakheti region in 2021, and in some cases it was completely destroyed, the production and exports of persimmon in Georgia increased again.

In 2021, Georgia set a new record for persimmon exports. As of November 2021, Georgia exported 10.2 thousand tonnes of persimmons, and export earnings reached $5.1 million, which is already 9% more than in the same period last year. However, the export data for the 2021 season will change again in December as the exports are still ongoing.

You can find out which persimmon varieties prevail in Georgia at this link.

9. Breakthrough in the production of table grapes. Largely thanks to the promotion of information on the prospects and opportunities for growing table grapes in Georgiaand investments in modern technologies of growing, storage and processing by the FAO and EBRD project, within the framework of which the EastFruit platform was created, Georgia made a real breakthrough in this sector in 2021.

As of the end of November 2021, Georgia had already exported 775 tonnes of table grapes from the 2021 harvest, which is 3.2 times more than exports in the same period of 2020. Let’s remind that earlier Georgia was a large importer of table grapes, despite the excellent conditions for their cultivation.

Almost all exports of Georgian table grapes were made to Russia, creating risks for the industry. Therefore, diversification of exports should be a priority for Georgian growers and exporters of table grapes in the next season.

It is gratifying that Georgia is focusing on the popular and well-known table grape varieties: Red Globe, Thompson Seedless, Crimson Seedless and Regal Seedless. A Table Grape Association has been already established in the country.

In 2021, the first table grapes were harvested by Georgia’s largest grower that owns 30 hectares of modern vineyards. In the first year, the company harvested up to 100 tonnes of table grapes and sold them on the local market.

10. The success of the Georgian kiwi in the global market. Georgia managed to get into the global trade trend and become the leading regional producer of kiwi. Kiwi was second only to blueberries, avocados, cherries, raspberries, durian and mango in terms of growth in global trade in fruits and berries. It is also interesting that Japan, which is demanding on the quality, is the main sales market for Georgian kiwi – since 2016, about 70% of kiwi exports from Georgia have accounted for Japan. Japan also pays a fairly high price for quality fruit. A lot of interesting information about Georgian kiwi is available here.

If you think that we have missed something of the important events of the Georgian produce business in 2021, please write about it in the comments to this article.

Сообщение Georgia: TOP-10 events of the produce business in 2021 появились сначала на EastFruit.

The monthly exports of Georgian persimmon in October 2021 reached record volumes over the past 8 years.

According to the Georgian Ministry of Finance, the country exported 5,800 tonnes of persimmons worth $3 million. This is 2 times more than the average for October 2014-2020 both in value and volume.

The main export destinations of Georgian persimmons are Russia, Ukraine and Armenia – they account for 97% of exported persimmons in October 2021. At the same time, there is a significant difference in prices in export markets. The price of persimmons on the Russian market is 41% higher than the average export price of Georgian persimmons, which is $510 per tonne.

This is explained by the fact that a large volume of persimmons of different caliber and quality were sold this time. Almost all types of persimmons are in great demand in the export markets. Different types of persimmons fall under the same code (position) in trade data. Thus, a large difference in export prices does not mean that the same product is sold at different prices.

As of today, the harvest of persimmons in Georgia is almost complete. Farmers sold almost all of the persimmons, even those affected by the hail. Non-exported persimmons are stored – the volume in storages is quite large. Given the very high external demand and accumulated volumes, some key market players believe that exports in November 2021 will be even higher. In general, Georgian growers are satisfied with the demand and note that prices have improved compared to 2020. The demand in the domestic market remains weak and therefore growers are mainly focused on exports.

Сообщение Georgian persimmon exports hit 8-year high появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, there is a sharp rise in wholesale prices for persimmons in Uzbekistan. Their average price already reaches $0.30/kg now, while last year it was $0.18/kg.

The rise in prices for persimmons provokes increased demand from wholesalers who are trying to store persimmons. Traditionally, they are stored for selling in the pre-New Year period, when their prices rise significantly. This year, the rise in prices is also facilitated by the fact that the season of persimmon ripening in Central Asia has shifted to a later date.

Do not underestimate the impact of the poor harvest of persimmons in Spain, the global market leader for persimmons. We recently published a detailed analysis of the influence of this factor in the article “Poor harvest of persimmon in Spain – is it a chance for Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Georgia?”.

Note that the export volumes of persimmons from Uzbekistan are growing quite rapidly and reach almost 100 thousand tons. The main competitors of Uzbekistan in the Russian persimmon market are Azerbaijan, Iran, Israel, Georgia, Turkey and China. Russia, on the other hand, is the world’s largest importer of persimmons. Kazakhstan that also imports large volumes of persimmons from Uzbekistan is second in terms of persimmon imports globally. Another country in our region, Ukraine, is fourth after Germany. More and more persimmons from Uzbekistan are sold every year in Ukraine. In 2020, Uzbekistan supplied Ukraine with a record volume – 1.8 thousand tons.

Сообщение Persimmon is getting more expensive in Uzbekistan – prices are 70% higher than last year появились сначала на EastFruit.

Growers note higher prices for persimmons this year compared to last season. This is due to several reasons. Unfavorable weather conditions including drought in summer, cold and rainy autumn and hail in Kakheti in August significantly reduced the harvest in the region. Another factor is the rise in labor costs. On average, the daily salary of fruit pickers is now 20-30% higher than in the 2020 season.

Solomon Gogelishvili would have harvested 30-40 tons of persimmons from a 2-hectare orchard, but, unfortunately, his village Akura in Telavi municipality was in the epicenter of hail in August that destroyed 100% of his harvest. Moreover, Gogelashvili told EastFruit that hail damaged not only fruits, but also the trees. Now he hopes that some of the trees will recover from the damage, but he will have to cut many of them.

Vasil Germanishvili, a spokesman for the Kakheti regional service of the Georgian Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, told EastFruit that the average persimmon harvest in Kakheti will be 20-30% lower due to damage caused by hail.

Hail was not the only problem for persimmons this season. Summer drought reduced fruit size. Marina Akolashvili owns a cold store in Gurjaani municipality and buys seasonal fruits from farmers for exporters. According to her, the fruits are small this year, which is less attractive for exporters. She hopes that in the fall, before peak harvest, the fruits will have time to gain weight.

Read also: Unusually high exports of potatoes from Georgia

“It all depends on the clients. If we get an order for persimmons, we will start buying. It is too early to talk about prices or the season, as we have received no orders yet,” Akolashvili said.

Although it is still early for the peak season, some farmers have already made deals or sold the first batches of persimmons. Roman Chkhenkeli owns 12 hectares of persimmons in the municipality of Lagodekhi, Kakheti. He has already sold the first batches at 1.1 GEL/kg ($0.35), but he believes that the price will further rise. The main reason is the increased cost of labor. Since persimmons are harvested manually, labor is one of the main costs for growers.

Another farmer who has already agreed on a price with exporters, Anzor Mskhiladze, owns 7 hectares of persimmon orchards in the Gori region. He will be paid 0.9 GEL/kg ($0.27), which is 0.2 GEL ($0.06) more than last season. Mskhiladze, speaking with EastFruit, also confirmed the increase in labor costs.

Now, due to rainy weather in the east and west of Georgia, the harvesting is being delayed. The mass harvest will begin in mid-October and last until mid-November. Farmers note colder autumn, which delays harvest but will not affect the quality of the fruit.

Georgian persimmon is traditionally exported to Russia, Ukraine and Armenia. Georgia exported 340 tons of persimmons in September, 62% of which were exported to Armenia. EastFruit will continue to inform our readers about the persimmon season in Georgia in the coming months.

Сообщение Georgian persimmon will be more expensive this season появились сначала на EastFruit.

The first persimmon of the “Hiakume” variety arrived on the Tbilisi wholesale market. Prices fluctuate between 1.50-2 GEL ($ 0.48-0.64). These are the first batches, the fruits are still small and producers are trying to sell fruits of this caliber as quickly as possible. Commercial growers plan to harvest the main volume of persimmons in October. Due to heavy rains and hail, a significant part of the persimmon harvest was damaged, and farmers in the Kakheti region, Kvareli municipality, lost hundreds of tons of crops. Therefore, persimmons will not be cheap this season.

Since 2017, Georgia has been increasing the production and export of persimmons by at least 10% per year. The share of exports of produced persimmons is also growing – from 37% in 2017 to 75% in 2020. Thus, in 2020, Georgia exported 2.5 times more persimmons (in tons) than on average over the past 6 years – 11.5 thousand tons.

Basically, persimmons were sold to Ukraine, but in the last 2 years, the share of exports to Ukraine decreased from 50% to 30%, and in 2020 more than 40% of the volume went to the Russian Federation. The average export price over the past three years has been fairly stable – $0.50 per 1 kg.

There are three main varieties in Georgia – Hachia (the so-called Japanese persimmon or Japanese), Fuyu and Hyakume (kinglet persimmon). Farmers are also experimenting with the Spanish Rojo Brilliante.

Read also: Poor harvest of persimmon in Spain – is it a chance for Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Georgia?

It is Hachia that is in high demand in the Ukrainian and Russian markets. It is a seedless variety that is harvested firm but ripe when 2/3 of the fruit is bright orange and is being refined in the target market. Hachia is grown on 95% of all commercial plantations in Georgia.

Hyakume variety requires mandatory pollination in order to get kinglet, as it is called in Georgia. Persimmon blooms from mid-May to mid-June. If pollination has not occurred, then the fruit will be rich in tannin – the taste will be astringent. On the same tree, you can get both astringent fruit and kinglet, depending on the quality of pollination.

Growing the Fuyu variety is the most convenient, since you don’t have to worry about pollination and the variety, as it is non-astringent. Although it is not popular in the local market, as consumers determine the presence of tannins in the old way by the color of the fruit pulp – if the color is brown, it is kinglet and it is non-astringent. In fact, this variety has light pulp, which is mistakenly considered astringent. The fruit is also lighter than Hachia and is harvested a little earlier before it is ripe.

Rojo Brilliante is also an astringent variety.

The advantage of astringent varieties is that they are less sensitive to temperature and more transportable. For Hyakume and Fuyu, on the other hand, refrigeration is required.

Сообщение The first persimmon of the seasons is available on the Georgian market появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, the persimmon season in Europe is just beginning, but it is safe to say that the prices will be relatively high. Let’s figure out how the countries of our region, namely Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Georgia, can take advantage of this.

Today Spain, the leader of the global persimmon market, is known to receive 20-25% less of the harvest. Moreover, the reason is not frosts, but the rapid spread of the pest Planococcus (mealybug), which has affected most of the persimmon plantations in Spain. This led to an increase in treatments, and hence to an increase in costs, as well as the loss of a part of the persimmon harvest and deterioration of its quality.

Spain annually exports about 210 thousand tons of persimmons, which corresponds to approximately one third of the global trade in this fruit. In the 2021/22 season, the export of persimmons from Spain may decrease to 160-170 thousand tons, which means it will be the lowest in the last decade.

Interestingly, persimmons from Spain and those from the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus practically do not overlap in the global market. In fact, we can say that these are two completely different products. Previously, they “collided” on the Russian market, but Spain cannot supply persimmons to the Russian Federation, and re-export through such countries as Belarus has recently become more complicated. Therefore, most often these two products can be seen on the neighboring Ukrainian market. Central Asia and the Caucasus, on the other hand, export almost all their persimmons to Russia and the CIS countries.

Since Spain exports its persimmons to other EU countries, as well as to Ukraine and the Middle East, a question arises, does this mean that persimmons from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and other countries of the region can partially replace Spanish ones in these markets?

First of all, it should be said that persimmon production is actively growing in Georgia and rather stable in the countries of Central Asia. Georgia is increasing production and export every year, and in 2020 for the first time it became one of the 6 countries exporting more than 10 thousand tons of persimmons of its own production. True, Georgia is still far from Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in terms of export volume. More than 200 thousand tons of persimmons are exported annually from Azerbaijan (mainly to the Russian Federation), and almost 100 thousand tons were exported from Uzbekistan in 2020. The export volumes of Uzbek persimmons are also growing very quickly. Like Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan supplies almost all of its persimmons to Russia and the countries of the former USSR. It must be noted that, perhaps, most of the persimmons from Azerbaijan are re-exports, primarily of Iranian products.

In 2021, the harvest of persimmons in the Caucasus and Central Asia is delayed, but it promises to be quite good. The main problem that can affect the possibilities of export diversification is the difference in the appearance and taste of persimmons.

Spanish persimmons, seedless and not harsh, are often called “Sharon” when sold. In fact, this is not entirely correct, since Sharon is a trademark of the Israeli Triumph persimmon variety. At the same time, we are talking not only about the variety, but also the method of bringing it to the required condition, which has been kept secret for a long time.

However, now this method is also used for other seedless persimmon varieties grown in different countries. In order for persimmon to acquire the desired properties, it is harvested unripe and subjected to accelerated ripening in sealed chambers with a high carbon dioxide content. It removes viscosity, i.e. reduces the content of tannins in persimmons. Previously, ethylene was used for this, as when ripening bananas, but this method leads to persimmons becoming soft, which impairs their transportability and the tannin content does not decrease so significantly.

This method of processing persimmons with carbon dioxide allowed to considerably increase the volume of global trade in them, since they do not grow everywhere. After processing persimmons with carbon dioxide, a large, beautiful and clean fruit of crunchy seedless persimmon is obtained, with a pleasant sweet taste. As the fruit remains quite dense and firm, it can be stored long without losing quality parameters.

In Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, approaches to the cultivation and processing of persimmons are not yet as developed as in the EU countries. Persimmons here tend to have more damage and are less easily transported. Some of the cultivated varieties have large seeds, although there are also seedless varieties. Also, some of the varieties are harsh, as they have a high content of tannins. In addition, modern approaches to ripening are almost not applied here. Accordingly, it is much more difficult to transport and store these persimmons. And supermarkets are less willing to sell such products, since the losses are higher during their sales.

Taking into account the difference in appearance and taste parameters, as well as the higher risks of trade in persimmons from our region, it is obvious that a decrease in the harvest of persimmons in Spain will not have a large impact on the price and export of persimmons from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan and other countries of the region. After all, exports will be directed, as before, primarily to the Russian market, which is the largest importer of persimmon in the world.

Also, most likely, consumers of Spanish persimmon in countries such as Ukraine and Belarus will not buy persimmons from other countries, since this is a completely different product. Another negative factor for persimmons is the excess of cheap apples on the Russian market.

Nevertheless, the most “advanced” persimmon exporters and producers from our region should use this chance in order to find new markets for their persimmons. After all, experts foresee that persimmon prices in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will decline in the coming weeks.

Among those who will certainly benefit from the decline in the persimmon harvest in Spain are farmers from Israel and Italy, who will be able to raise prices for their products in the 2021/22 season.

By the way, persimmons in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are increasingly dried in the sun and sold in dried form, which also brings good profit. Part of persimmons in Georgia is sold in a similar way, as we have already described in our material with photographs. In addition, amid the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, persimmon consumption is trending as tannins in persimmon juice are believed to kill the COVID-19 virus. At the end of last year, there was an incredible jump in persimmon prices in Tajikistan given widespread information in the media and the benefits of persimmons to fight the virus.

In any case, now the positive factors on the regional persimmon market still prevail over the negative ones. This means that the prices for persimmons are likely to be at least not lower than last year, as well as the income of farmers in our region.

Сообщение Poor harvest of persimmon in Spain – is it a chance for Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Georgia? появились сначала на EastFruit.

In 2020 Ukraine imported around 1 million tons of various fruit according to the UCAB (Ukrainian Agricultural Business Club) as reported by SEEDS.org.ua.

This is a historical maximum in terms of fruit imports, which exceeds the same indicator of last year by 8% and one and a half times the figure of five years ago.

“It should be noted right away that mainly fruit and berries are imported, which cannot be grown in Ukraine due to unfavorable climatic conditions. The only exception is apples, but their share in the total import structure is insignificant – only 1%” explains Svetlana Lytvyn, an analyst at UCAB.

The undisputed leader in import supplies of fruits to Ukraine are bananas, which occupy a third of all supplies. This is followed by tangerines (19% of imports), oranges (9%), lemons (7%) and peaches (5%).

The  highest growth rate was accounted for grapefruits and persimmons, the volume of imports of which has doubled over the last 5 years.

Сообщение Ukraine imported a record amount of fruit in 2020 появились сначала на EastFruit.

Caucasus Organic Fruits LLC, a Georgian fruit processing company, has received a large supply order from the Netherlands for dried persimmon throughout the year according to the marketing manager of the company Salome Alania. She also noted that today dried persimmons are the top export sales for the company as well as dried apples, plums, kiwi, and tomatoes. Also, popular are fruit organic teas and fruit powders.

Caucasus Organic Fruits opened in October 2018 in the village of Natakhtari of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region in Eastern Georgia. The company received support from both German and Georgian investments and the state’s United Agricultural Project. Since 2019, it has switched to regular production. The enterprise has implemented the FSSC 22000 standard. The company buys raw materials for production from local farmers as permanent partners, while in the future it plans to equip its own plantations. Today, the enterprise processes about 1.6 tons of raw materials every day. The finished products do not contain any additives. In retail packages, Caucasus Organic Fruits products are presented under the Magritto brand, wholesale deliveries are carried out on different terms.

“The export demand for Caucasus Organic Fruits products continues to remain high amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I cannot say that we are unhappy with the way things are going. Currently, about 70% of the company’s products are exported, mainly dried fruits. The main export markets are now the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Russia. At the same time, we continue to work on the development of new export markets,” said Salome Alania.

She continued to say that this year the company plans to enter the markets of the Persian Gulf countries. “In February, we participated in the international exhibition GulFood 2021 in Dubai. Now, we are negotiating with potential buyers with whom we have established contacts there,” said Ms Alania.

In parallel with exports, the company continues to work on strengthening its presence in the Georgian market. Currently, Caucasus Organic Fruits directly cooperates with the Europroduct supermarket chain in Georgia where Magritto packages of dried apple and persimmon rings are presented. It also cooperates with Agro Food Trade, which supplies the company’s dried fruits to the supermarket chains Agrohub, Carrefour, Universami, and Fresco.

As for the Caucasus Organic Fruits powders and fruit organic teas, their main consumer both in Georgia and abroad is now the B2B sector.

“This year the company launched production of fruit and vegetable powders, which are used as ingredients in the B2B sector; the demand for these products is initially good. Now, this line includes powders from lemons, oranges, apples, and kiwis. We are currently working on the start of the production of powders from broccoli, pumpkins, beets and other vegetables. The assortment of fruit organic teas, the raw material for which are wild berries and fruits collected in specially selected areas of woodlands, depends on the orders of customers.”

Salome Alania states that taking into account its growth in sales, the company also plans to strengthen the production capacity of its enterprise in the near future.

Сообщение Georgian company Caucasus Organic Fruits to supply dried persimmons to the Netherlands появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, there was a sharp increase in fruit and vegetable imports from Georgia to Russia in 2020. During the year, Georgia managed to earn a record $81 million from the exports of fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, and nuts to Russia, which was 62% more than in 2019.

The following graph shows the rise and fall of Georgian exports to Russia in US dollars and percentages.

As we can see from the graph, the largest increase in revenue was due to the supply of mandarins, which is Georgia’s primary export to Russia. Their exports grew by 57% or nearly $10 million in a year and reached $27 million.

Read also: Horticulture of Georgia 2020: surging exports of nuts, apples, blueberries, peaches, and mandarins

Also, Georgian exports of peaches and nectarines to Russia increased very sharply by 49%. However, for rating percentages, the absolute leader in the increase in exports was for plums: its exports grew 14 times over a year! Also, there was an almost sevenfold increase in the exports of persimmons, fourfold of blueberries, threefold of sweet cherries, and more than a twofold increase in the exports of hazelnuts.

The exports of exotic fruits and vegetables such as feijoa, pomegranate, etc., also increased by an impressive 85%. This means that Georgian entrepreneurs continue to search and successfully find various niches in the fresh produce business.

Exports of vegetables and greenhouse products from Georgia to Russia continued to stagnate. According to EastFruit‘s estimates, the cost of energy for producing greenhouse products was the highest in Georgia and Ukraine for the region, making it less competitive than for the suppliers of these vegetables from Central Asian countries. In particular, herbs can be grown in the open field even in winter in Uzbekistan and Iran. Also, less energy is needed to heat greenhouses in these countries since the average temperatures are higher and energy prices are much lower.

Accordingly, in 2020, the exports of cucumbers and tomatoes from Georgia to Russia fell by about a third, and herbs by a quarter. FAO and EBRD experts drew attention to issues growing and exporting herbs from Georgia back in 2018 highlighting that Georgia needed to look for alternatives to the Russian herbs market and to expand the product range.

Сообщение Russian imports surge for plums, cherries, persimmons, and hazelnuts from Georgia появились сначала на EastFruit.