According to EastFruit analysts, two Central Asian countries, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, have increased their imports of Iranian apples many times over in the first 4 months of 2022.

Turkmenistan entered the Top-5 largest importers of Iranian apples in the world during this period, having purchased 19 500 tonnes of apples in Iran. For comparison, imports in the same period last year were 22 times less. Uzbekistan ranked 6^th among apple importers from Iran having imported 13 000 tonnes of apples in 4 months, which is 21 times more than in the same period in 2021.

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

“The volume of apple exports from Iran in the first months of 2022 lags behind last year by about 19%, which is due to a decrease in the apple harvest in the country in 2021 caused by spring frosts. However, exports to Central Asian countries, where there were also frosts and reduced harvest, rose sharply as prices were high there. An additional incentive for the growth of supplies was the cessation of apple exports from Ukraine at the end of February, after russia invaded Ukraine with its army and blocked supplies,” explains Andriy Yarmak, economist at the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

In addition to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, importers from the UAE (by 42%), Pakistan (by 75%) and Kuwait (by 73%) also increased the volume of purchases of Iranian apples in 2022. A decrease in apple exports from Iran to such large markets as Iraq, India and Russia was noted.

Сообщение Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan significantly increased apple imports from Iran in 2022 появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, Ukraine continues to increase kiwi imports. In the first 11 months of 2021, Ukrainian fruit importers purchased 11% more kiwis from abroad than in the same period in 2020.

The total volume of kiwi imports to Ukraine in 11 months of 2021 reached 16 400 tonnes. Thus, according to our estimates, the average consumption of kiwi in Ukraine exceeded 400 grams per capita per year for the first time.

“The average consumption of kiwi in Ukraine is below the average, but is gradually increasing due to rising household incomes and a growing interest in a healthy lifestyle. Kiwi consumption in other countries of the world is also growing. The average consumption of kiwi per person is now about 600 grams per year. At the same time, the leader in per capita consumption of kiwi is not New Zealand, as many believe, but Greece. The average citizen of Greece consumes up to 14-15 kg of kiwi annually. At the same time, kiwi consumption is higher in those countries where it is grown,” Andriy Yarmak, economist at the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), explains.

By the way, Greece has traditionally been the largest supplier of fresh kiwi to the Ukrainian market. However, according to the results of the first 11 months of 2021, Greece lost its status as the main supplier of kiwi to Ukraine for the first time. Iran has increased exports by 67% over the year and bypassed Greece in this rating. Thus, according to the results of 11 months of 2021, Iran accounted for 40% of kiwi imports to Ukraine. Greece remained second with a share of 37%, although last year it accounted for 52% of all kiwi supplies to Ukraine. Italy is third with a share of 14%.

The fastest to increase kiwi exports to Ukraine is Turkey. Turkey did not export kiwi to the Ukrainian market two years ago, and in 2021 it became fifth, having supplied more than 700 tonnes in 11 months.

The average retail price for kiwi in Ukraine in January 2022 was 50-60 UAH/kg ($1.7-2.1/kg). It means kiwi was quite affordable and costs on average twice as much as good-quality apples. If we compare prices in the countries of the region, kiwi prices in Ukraine are relatively low, although they are higher than in Georgia, which itself is now actively increasing the production and exports of kiwi.

Сообщение Iran became the largest supplier of kiwi to Ukraine in 2021 появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, imported greenhouse vegetables dominate in the market of Tajikistan now. Mainly imported tomatoes from Turkmenistan are sold in the segment of greenhouse tomatoes. Greenhouse cucumbers in the wholesale markets of Tajikistan mostly come from Iran.

Turkmenistan first supplied greenhouse tomatoes to the Tajik market in 2020, and now it has firmly established itself as the leader in exports, ahead of neighboring Uzbekistan, which was previously the undisputed leader in terms of exports of greenhouse tomatoes to the Tajik market. By the way, Turkmenistan is catching up with suppliers from Uzbekistan in the market of greenhouse tomatoes in Russia. Thanks to access to cheap gas for heating greenhouses, local producers are actively increasing their capacity for the production of greenhouse vegetables and their exports. At the same time, this is an issue in Uzbekistan.

Read also: TOP-10 events of the produce business of Tajikistan in 2021

Iran reduced the exports of greenhouse cucumbers quite sharply in 2021. It is also interesting to note that Iran’s trade statistics do not contain information on the supply of cucumbers to the Tajik market. Therefore, it is possible that this is re-export, given the difficult relations between the countries. Iran traditionally supplies quite large volumes of greenhouse cucumbers to Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and even Turkmenistan.

It is still difficult for greenhouse growers in Tajikistan to compete with high-quality and cheap imported products, as they do not yet have any advantages in terms of energy prices and production technologies.

Сообщение Tomatoes from Turkmenistan, cucumbers from Iran – imported greenhouse vegetables dominate in Tajikistan появились сначала на EastFruit.

EastFruit analysts draw attention to the fact that Iran is likely to be in the TOP-5 global exporters of marketable potatoes in 2021. The volume of potato exports from Iran in 2021 increased by 16% and reached a record 855 thousand tonnes.

At the same time, there are 6 countries of the post-Soviet space among the largest markets for Iranian potatoes: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine! Five more countries of the region, namely, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova take 14^th– 19^th positions. Moreover, it was the sharp increase in the supply of potatoes to the post-Soviet states that provided Iran with a record volume of potato exports in 2021. As a rule, other major importers reduced their purchases of potatoes in Iran: Afghanistan reduced imports by 17%, and Iraq more than twice.

Read also: Agrifood forecast for 2022: record price increase, fertilizer shortage, declining yields and labor shortage

Exports of Iranian potatoes to Uzbekistan increased by almost 37 times over the year, to Russia – by 20 times, to Ukraine by almost 100 times. Azerbaijan was, as usual, the largest market for Iranian potatoes among all post-Soviet states (167 000 tonnes), but traders believe that this was an import of potatoes by Azerbaijan for the subsequent re-exports to Russia. Even so, deliveries to Azerbaijan grew by 73% over the year. Uzbekistan bought 146 000 tonnes of potatoes from Iran in a year. Iranian potato exports to Turkmenistan more than doubled in a year to an impressive 77 000 tonnes.

By the way, tax incentives for import and sale of potatoes were extended in Uzbekistan, and neighboring Kazakhstan even introduced a ban on the export of potatoes, fearing their shortage. Iranian potatoes are just what is needed there.

Note that in addition to Iran, Pakistan is also increasing supplies to Eastern Europe and the countries of Central Asia. By the way, winter potatoes in Pakistan ripened earlier than usual this season.

At the same time, as activity on our trading platform shows, early potatoes of new harvest are already offered by suppliers from Egypt.

Сообщение Six Post-Soviet countries are among the largest importers of potatoes from Iran! появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, Iran reduced its exports of fruits and vegetables by 6% in 2021 due to a sharp decline in sales to countries such as Iraq, Russia, China and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, a number of countries have sharply increased imports of Iranian fruits and vegetables.

Among the sales markets that increased fruit and vegetable imports from Iran faster than others, Uzbekistan stands apart. In 2021, it spent 5 times more money on importing vegetables and fruits from Iran than in 2020. Iran’s revenue from the supply of fruits and vegetables to Uzbekistan in 2021 reached $46.2 million, making Uzbekistan the 15th largest market for Iran.

Read also: Watermelon imports to Russia in 2021 were record-breaking due to supplies from Iran

Obviously, the main product of the fruit and vegetable category, which was exported from Iran to Uzbekistan, was marketable potatoes. The volume of exports of Iranian potatoes to Uzbekistan in 2021 reached 146 thousand tonnes, having increased 36 times. Iranian dates were the second, of which Uzbekistan imported 7.4 thousand tonnes – 3 times more than in 2020.

Fresh apples were the third in terms of exports. Uzbekistan increased the import of Iranian apples by 9 times to 6.4 thousand tonnes in 2021! The next most imported Iranian fruit in terms of volume was kiwi. Uzbekistan bought 3.9 thousand tonnes of kiwis from Iran in 2021, doubling imports in a year! However, kiwi can be successfully grown for domestic consumption in Uzbekistan and exported to other countries!

We also note the sharp many-fold increase of imports of Iranian mandarins and oranges to Uzbekistan. Imports of Iranian pistachios to Uzbekistan also increased by 2.5 times in 2021, and Iranian garlic – by almost 5 times.

Сообщение Uzbekistan became the fastest growing market for fruits and vegetables from Iran in 2021 появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, Russia imported a record volume of watermelon in 2021. Moreover, Russia is likely to enter the top ten largest importers of watermelon in the world at the end of 2021 for the first time, and the volume of imports may exceed 80 thousand tonnes.

Russia has traditionally been among the 20 largest global exporters of watermelon. At the same time, the exports of watermelon from Russia usually exceeded imports. However, it became a net importer of watermelon last year after a sharp increase in imports, and in 2021 imports grew by more than 60% over the year, updating an all-time record.

Notably, the exports of watermelon in 2021 grew, although less sharply than imports – by only 17%. The largest growth was noted in the exports of watermelon from Russia to Belarus, Georgia and Moldova.

There were many surprises in the geography of watermelon supplies to Russia. The main one was the strengthening of Iran’s position as the main supplier. Iran has increased the supply of watermelons 2.5 times to more than 30 thousand tonnes. Uzbekistan also increased the exports of watermelon to Russia, but by only 19%, remaining second among the largest suppliers. Turkey has almost caught up with Iran in terms of supplies, increasing exports by 2.7 times. Kazakhstan remained fourth in the ranking of watermelon exporters to Russia, increasing supplies by 7% to 12.7 thousand tonnes.

Another interesting point was the sharp increase in the imports of watermelon to Russia from Georgia. Previously Georgia did not supply watermelon to Russia at all, but the volume of supplies in 2021 increased immediately to 1.1 thousand tonnes. Thus, watermelon was added to the range of other fruits and vegetables that Georgia now supplies to Russia in large volumes.

However, the exports of watermelon from Russia to Georgia is almost equal to the export volume of watermelon from Georgia to Russia. Why? The main reason is that the seasons of watermelon harvesting in Russia and Georgia do not overlap. Therefore, early watermelon is exported from Georgia to Russia, and late varieties – from Russia to Georgia.

Сообщение Watermelon imports to Russia in 2021 were record-breaking due to supplies from Iran появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to information provided by trade sources in the region to EastFruit, the apple harvest in Iran was significantly lower in 2021 than last year. Although there is no reliable statistics on the volume of apple production in Iran, representatives of the wholesale trade say that prices for Iranian apples are much higher (30-40%) this year than last year and reach $0.35 per kg (FCA). Iranian suppliers explain the rise in prices by the fact that there were less apples harvested. This is good news for apple exporters from Ukraine and Moldova, given the huge influence of Iran on the global and regional apple markets, which we covered in the #freshapplecrisis article.

Despite rumors about a decrease in the apple harvest, Iran continued to quickly increase its exports in the new season, which contradicts with the alleged low harvest. 134 thousand tonnes of fresh apples were exported from the country In August-October 2021 – twice as much as in the months in 2020. A decrease in production in Iran is not yet confirmed by information on the volume of trade, although it still seems to be possible to experts.

“The apple harvest in Iran in 2021 could well have declined, as the technological level of many producers is still low there. This means there may be frequency of fruiting, especially after a record harvest in 2020. The growth in exports in the first months of the 2021/22 season can be explained by the fact that Iran sold more apples last year than usually in the second half of the season, hoping for a rise in prices. However, prices turned out to be even lower by the end of the season than during the apple harvest. This year, it is likely that Iranian apple exporters want to avoid last year’s mistakes. The second reason is a sharp increase in demand for Iranian apples from India, where Iran became the main supplier for the first time at the end of last season. In the new season, exports to India continue to grow rapidly. The third reason is the expected decline in apple production in the United States, which means even greater prospects for growth in demand for Iranian apples in Asia. The fourth reason is the growing demand for Iranian apples in the Middle East, primarily in Iraq and the UAE, where over 105 thousand tonnes of fresh apples from Iran were supplied in the first three months of the new season. On the other hand, apple prices are affected by the logistics component, which remains very high this year,” explains Andriy Yarmak, economist at the Investment Centre of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Andriy Yarmak and other leading experts of the fruit market will present a detailed analysis of the prospects for the global apple market during the 17th international conference “Fruits and Vegetables of Ukraine 2021” on December 3, 2021 in Kyiv (registration is available at this link).

Quite unexpectedly, Turkmenistan that bought more than 10 thousand tonnes of apples from Iran was among the largest importers of Iranian apples in the first months of the new season. However, the leader was Iraq by a wide margin from others, where about 92 thousand tonnes of apples grown in Iran were exported. The supply of apples from Iran to Russia decreased in the new season – almost 3 times at once, to just 3.4 thousand tonnes.

In total, Iran exported 963 thousand tonnes of apples in the 2020/21 season, almost the same as China, the global leader in fresh apple exports. Thus, Iran almost became the fourth country in history, which managed to export more than 1 million tonnes of apples per season. Previously, only China, Poland and Italy did this. If a decrease in the apple harvest in Iran in 2021 is not confirmed and the export volumes remain as high, Iran may well become the leader in global apple exports in the new season and reach 1 million tonnes of fresh apple exports.

Сообщение Iran keeps increasing apple exports despite rumors on lower harvest появились сначала на EastFruit.

In the context of the global apple business crisis, EastFruit analysts pay special attention to the countries where the consumption of imported apples continues to grow.

The largest increase in fresh apple imports in the 2020/21 season (August-July) was noted in India. The volume of apple exports to India during the season exceeded 400 thousand tonnes for the first time and reached 403.4 thousand tonnes, having doubled compared to the 2019/20 season. The previous record for apple imports to India was set in the 2016/17 season, when supplies exceeded 357 thousand tonnes.

Read also: Unexpected facts and typical misconceptions about the Indian apple market from EastFruit

Another feature of the 2020/21 season for India is that Iran has become the leader in terms of apple exports to India for the first time. Iran supplied 74.9 thousand tonnes of fresh apples, increasing exports to India threefold! Turkey became second in the rating of suppliers, slightly behind Iran with the volume of 67 thousand tonnes. We remind once again that we believe Turkey and Iran to be the main troublemakers in the global apple market, which we described in detail in the #freshapplecrisis article. You can watch a unique video about the struggle for global leadership among apple exporting countries via the link.

It is notable that the former long-term leader in apple supplies to India, the United States, continues to lose its position in this market. The United States fell to the eighth position in the ranking of exporters in the 2020/21 season, leaving ahead Iran, Turkey, Chile, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and even Afghanistan. By the way, all the top 10 apple supplying countries to India, except for the USA, have increased their export volumes. The United States continues to reduce its presence in the Indian apple market due to trade wars initiated by the administration of the previous president of the country.

Poland turned out to be outside the top 10 largest suppliers. The volumes of Polish apple exports to India continue to decline for the third season in a row, following a relative success in the 2018/19 season. Last season, Poland reduced its export volumes by 46% at once to 5.3 thousand tonnes. France and Belgium also reduced apple exports to India.

Noteworthy is the fact that Serbia began to supply apples to the Indian market for the first time. Moreover, deliveries reached 493 tonnes in the very first season, despite the lack of experience and the remoteness of the sales market.

The import of apples from Ukraine was also noted, although there is still no official permission for the supply of apples from Ukraine to India. However, the official statistics of India registered the supply of 82 tonnes of Ukrainian apples to its market.

Besides, unexpected is China becoming a supplier of apples to India. As you know, Chinese apples have not entered the Indian market since 2017. However, countries have resumed dialogue on re-establishing market access since 2019. It seems that the access has been renewed, although there have been no official reports on this matter. China supplied 119 tonnes of apples to India in the 2020/21 season, but there have been no new deliveries since May 2021. Therefore, perhaps these were trial deliveries to verify compliance with Indian requirements. The Indian government has taken a similar approach in the case of Ukraine.

Сообщение India doubled apple imports in the 2020/21 season – analysis of the import structure by EastFruit появились сначала на EastFruit.

EastFruit analysts have been paying attention to the expansion of Turkey and Iran into the global fresh apple market for many years, and it was one of the key factors in our forecasting the difficult 2021/22 season in the #freshapplecrisis article.

The export volume of Turkish apples increased by 47% in the 2020/21 season (August-July) at once – almost 1.5 times, and reached 298 thousand tonnes. Over the past five years, Turkey has already increased its apple exports by 3.5 times – by 185 thousand tonnes. In other words, the increase in apple exports from Turkey over the past five years corresponds to the average annual volume of apple exports from Moldova!

Apple exports from Turkey continue to grow at the same high rate in the new season of 2021/22! In particular, Turkey has already exported 34.4 thousand tonnes of apples in August-September 2021 – 1.5 times more than during the same period in the last season!

“The global trade in fresh apples has been stagnating for about six to seven years. Trade volumes are declining by almost 1% per year. This means that countries that increase their exports are keeping out other exporters from the market. Of course, this all exerts pressure on apple prices, especially in the segment of average and low quality, and affects the income of growers. However, Turkey does not seem to have much of a problem with this. Moreover, industry representatives report further growth in apple orchard acreage and plans to expand Turkish apple exports to foreign markets.” says Andriy Yarmak, economist at the Investment Centre of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Turkey and Iran were not previously perceived as serious competitors for apple exporters from the EU, let alone exporters from Moldova and Ukraine. However, they are now real competitors, and their expansion is already affecting the exports of apples from the EU countries and Moldova. In addition, Turkish apples compete even with apples from the US, especially in the Indian market.

India bought a record volume of apples from Turkey in the 2020/21 season – 68 thousand tons. But India has traditionally been one of the key markets for apple sales for the United States. Now it has become the #1 market for Turkish apples.

Another record of apple exports from Turkey was set in the Russian market, which imported almost 60 thousand tonnes of Turkish apples last season! The volume of apple exports from Turkey to the Russian Federation was no more than 3 thousand tonnes five years ago, that is, they have grown 20 times! By the way, when Turkey increased the export of apples to Russia by 51% last season, Moldova failed to sell all the apples from the storage, although the harvest was one of the lowest in recent years. As a result, Turkey sold 20 thousand tonnes more apples to Russia during the season, while Moldova sold 72 thousand tonnes less.

“Despite the logistical advantages that Moldova has when exporting apples to the Russian Federation, it is clearly losing the competition to Turkey in this market in terms of quality management and variety selection. Since the Russian apple market is one of many markets for Turkey, it focuses on high quality requirements and internationally recognized varieties, which also helps in supplying to the Russian market. Turkey is also actively marketing its products. As for Moldova, Russia remains the only sales market, which did not encourage local producers to invest in quality, processing, packaging, promising varieties, etc.,” explains Andriy Yarmak.

Besides India and Russia, the most important markets for Turkish apples are the countries of the Middle East. And here Turkish apples directly collide with apples from the EU countries and Ukraine. There has been a recent trend of growing supplies of Turkish apples to lower-income countries such as Syria, Iraq and Libya, while supplies to wealthier countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait decreased in the 2020/21 season.

Malaysia has also become an important sales market for Turkish apples in recent years. Apple exports from Turkey to Malaysia grew by 66% last season. In previous years, deliveries have grown at a similar pace. Let us recall that Malaysia is one of the most important export markets for apples for Ukraine as well.

Сообщение Turkey wins competition on the stagnating apple market as exports of apples surge появились сначала на EastFruit.

According to EastFruit analysts, Iran exported a record volume of fruits and nuts worth $196 million to Russia in the first three quarters of 2021. The exports of Iranian fruits to the Russian Federation in value terms increased by 1.5 times in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.

“The growth in the supply of fruits and nuts from Iran to Russia is one of the reasons for the difficulties fruit suppliers from Moldova and Uzbekistan began to experience in the Russian market last year. Iran can offer a wide range of fruits and supplies them almost all year round, which distinguishes this country from its competitors. Also, Iranian suppliers are active in promoting their fruits, while exporters from Moldova, for example, rarely resort to advertising their products. In particular, in the largest fruit and vegetable trading group EF Trade Platform in Telegram, Iran is often among the five most active countries, and Moldova is usually not even in the top 10,” says Andriy Yarmak, Economist at the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Apples are a key item of Iranian exports to Russia. In the first 9 months of 2021, Iran increased their exports to Russia 2.5 times to 125 thousand tons. They are followed by kiwi, of which more than 37 thousand tons were exported from Iran to Russia during this period, watermelons (27.4 thousand tons), peaches and nectarines (26.6 thousand tons), raisins (12.2 thousand tons), dates (7.4 thousand tons), cherries (7.3 thousand tons), pistachio (7.1 thousand tons), sour cherries (6.8 thousand tons), table grapes (4.1 thousand tons) and plums (3.4 thousand tons). Experts note that these volumes may be underestimated, since some of the fruits are exported from Iran to Russia through third countries.

Almost all Iranian fruits exported to Russia saw a sharp increase in 2021. Only peach, cherry, plum and table grape supplies decreased. Obviously, the spring frosts that ruined part of stone fruits harvest in Uzbekistan, also affected their harvest in Iran. But the sharpest growth rates of exports to Russia were noted in the segment of Iranian kiwis, the supply of which increased 2.7 times in volume. Also, the export of Iranian raisins has more than doubled.

Thus, after 9 months of 2021, Russia is third among the most important markets for fruit and nuts for Iran. The first, with a wide margin from others, is Iraq, where fruits and nuts worth $370 million were exported. India is the second most important fruit market for Iran.

Other countries in our region are also among the important sales markets for Iranian fruits. Kazakhstan became 10^th among the largest importers of Iranian fruits and nuts, Kyrgyzstan – 11^th, and Ukraine – 13^th. Uzbekistan, which is still 18^th in this list, was notable for the highest growth rates of purchases from Iran – in 2021, exports to this country increased 11 times!

Сообщение Iran increased fruit exports to Russia by 50% in 2021 with apples and kiwi being main export items появились сначала на EastFruit.