According to EastFruit analysts, Uzbekistan increased its exports of fresh cherries to South Korea by 65% in 2021. However, the volume remained relatively low – Uzbek exporters collected only 206 tonnes of cherries meeting the requirements of fruit importers from South Korea throughout the season. This is half the record volume of supplies recorded in 2017, when Uzbekistan exported more than 400 tonnes of cherries to South Korea.

For comparison: the United States exported about 12 thousand tonnes of cherries to the South Korean market, despite Uzbek cherries being very cheap, and on the contrary, American ones were quite expensive this year. At the same time, the seasons of harvesting and selling cherries in Uzbekistan and the United States overlap. Uzbek cherries, even taking into account delivery to South Korea, were sold in 2021 on average twice as cheap as cherries from the United States.

Read also: In 2021 Uzbekistan increases exports of table grapes by 58%

By the way, Uzbekistan exported 24.5 thousand tonnes of cherries to Russia in 2021, 3-4 times per kilogram cheaper than when exporting cherries to South Korea. Obviously, the problem is the shortage of large-sized cherries and the necessary quality parameters in Uzbekistan.

Detailed information on how to create a superintensive orchard of large cherries with the possibility of exporting at the highest price to China and South Korea is available in this material. You can also watch a video of the presentation of the representative of the Holland Rosetta company Valery Lyashinsky on the issue there. EastFruit has also made two interesting videos comparing the intensive orchards with hydro-curing and modern sorting and packaging of cherries and traditional but outdated technologies for growing, harvesting, sorting and marketing cherries in Uzbekistan.

It is obvious now that the global market needs large-sized cherries grown with the most modern technologies – their production allows to earn more. The demand for traditional cherries is falling, and they can only be sold at sharply reduced prices, as it happened in 2021.

Сообщение Uzbekistan increases exports of cherries to South Korea in 2021 появились сначала на EastFruit.

Uzbekistan is increasing the volume of pomegranate exports and expanding their markets, EastFruit experts say.

The video on the Telegram channel Vodiy Bozor (Valley Market) shows Uzbek pomegranates in one of the retail outlets in South Korea. Moreover, the price for a package of three pomegranates indicating the country of origin – Uzbekistan, is sold at 10,000 KRW ($8.4), which means $2.8 a piece! The video does not specify the city in South Korea and whether it is a supermarket or a retail outlet of a different format.

After confirming the supplies of Uzbek pomegranates to South Korea, EastFruit analysts drew attention to the official statistics of Uzbekistan’s foreign trade. According to the Customs Committee of the republic, 125 tons of pomegranates were exported to South Korea from the beginning of August to the end of September 2021. At the same time, 97% of this volume was delivered by air, which explains such a high price of Uzbek pomegranates on the South Korean market.

In just two months of the pomegranate export season – from the beginning of August to the end of September 2021, Uzbekistan exported 5.9 thousand tons of pomegranates worth $4.3 million. In the same period of 2020, the volume of pomegranate exports amounted to 3.8 thousand tons worth $4.6 million. Compared to last year, the volume in physical terms increased by 55%, but the revenue decreased by 7%. It is obvious that the prices of exported Uzbek pomegranates are much lower this year – by about 30-40%, which led to a decrease in export earnings.

According to EastFruit analysts, in August-September 2021, 87% of all pomegranate exports from Uzbekistan accounted for three countries – Russia (50%), Kazakhstan (26%) and Kyrgyzstan (11%). The rest was shipped to Ukraine – 350 tons (6%), South Korea – 125 tons (2%), Turkmenistan – 124 tons (2%), Belarus – 90 tons (1.5%), small batches up to 35 tons were sent to Latvia, Germany, Czech Republic and Mongolia.

Read also: Up to 50% of transportation costs are reimbursed to Uzbek exporters

Compared to other fresh fruit and vegetables supplied from Uzbekistan to foreign markets, the pomegranate export season lasts longer – from August of this year to February-March of the next year, i.e. 7-8 months. Last season – from the beginning of August 2020 to the end of March 2021 – the volume of pomegranate exports from Uzbekistan amounted to 15.3 thousand tons worth $15 million. The start of the current 2021/22 season looks promising, even with a decline in export earnings.

Сообщение Uzbek pomegranates in South Korea – $2.8 a piece появились сначала на EastFruit.