In an hour and a half interview with EastFruit about the specifics of doing business in fruit and vegetables in Sub-Saharan Africa, Artem Gudkov, co-founder of Global Ukrainian Distribution, Investment and Trading Company Limited (GUDIT), revealed several surprising aspects of the region’s fruit and vegetable business.

First of all, attention is drawn to the high price of fresh apples, which the locals consider an exotic fruit. The prices for this fruit, traditional and common for Ukraine, Moldova and other countries of the region, reach $1 per piece, which is about 10 times more expensive than the retail price for an apple in Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia now.

However, selling apples to this region is not so easy, because, according to Artem Gudkov, “cold logistics, both cooling and freezing, is a real disaster in Sub-Sahara Africa. However, whoever can build a refrigeration chain in Africa will control the market and it will not be as expensive as it might seem at first glance. Those who already have their own cold logistics systems in the region have onerous terms of cooperation for suppliers,” Artem explains.

The co-founder of GUDIT, who lives permanently in Tanzania, believes that it is possible to sell very large volumes of apples in this region if you want to and invest time and effort. Indeed, according to him, the locals are very fond of this fruit, but the size of the market is limited by the high retail price for them. The reason is that the margin of the importers who control the refrigeration chain is prohibitively high with competition in this segment still at minimal levels.

The expert believes that for the successful sale of apples in Tanzania and other countries of the region, it is necessary to open its own refrigerated warehouses and register a business in this country, as well as hire at least 150 people who will sell apples literally “on every corner”. According to him, the locals prefer green apple varieties, although there are also red ones on sale. Supermarkets do not yet have a large share in the sales of food products, and “bazaars and mini-markets govern it entirely.”

“To successfully sell to Africa, you need to sell in Africa,” Artem Gudkov says. To cover the costs of cold logistics and on-site promotion, according to him, it is possible to set a low margin (5-7% should be enough), profiting on the exports of apples, which will reduce their price and dramatically increase their sales. The expert also noted that the investment climate in the country is quite favourable, and corruption has dropped sharply in recent years. Now if the documents are all right, customs clearance of imported products goes quickly and without any delays or problems and this is especially important for fresh fruit and vegetables.

According to Andriy Yarmak, an economist at the Investment Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), who interviewed Artem Gudkov, Ukraine is already selling apples to Sub-Saharan Africa, although in a relatively small volume – only 147 tons last year. At the same time, he singled out Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Mauritius among the largest importers of fruit and vegetables in the region. Important markets are also Botswana, Namibia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Mali, Angola.

Who buys apples in Africa? According to Artem Gudkov, both foreigners and residents buy apples in Sub-Sahara Africa – after all, this is exotic for them and a kind of a status symbol, too. Apples are mostly sold in packages of 3-5 pieces each but can be sold apiece as well.

Artem Gudkov’s interview with Andriy Yarmak for EastFruit is below.

Сообщение Apples at $1 apiece – how to successfully sell apples to Sub-Saharan Africa? появились сначала на EastFruit.

Tanzania can replicate the success of Peru in the global blueberry market, Artem Gudkov believes, co-founder of Global Ukrainian Distribution, Investment and Trading Company Limited (GUDIT), who lives and works there and promotes Ukrainian products in the markets of Sub-Saharan Africa. In an exclusive interview with EastFruit about the specifics of doing business in vegetables and fruits in Sub-Saharan Africa, Artem Gudkov advises Ukrainian berry producers to look closely at investments opportunities in Tanzania.

If a Ukrainian blueberry producer wants to invest in the cultivation of blueberry in Tanzania, then, according to Artem Gudkov, he will not encounter any obstacles. Thanks to English law, his property will be protected, he will be able to lease land even for 99 years, and local officials will provide help in finding a suitable plot, because they are interested in attracting foreign investments. He also noted that the country has enough water resources for irrigation and there are many micro-zones, so finding a climate suitable for growing is not a problem. Moreover, there is a practice of exemption from income tax for 5 years or more, and of many international projects ready to provide support, including financial, to investments aiming at the development of production in the country.

Why should Ukrainians invest in blueberry cultivation in Africa? According to Artem, this will allow, firstly, to avoid competition in the future in traditional markets such as the Middle East and Asia. “When Tanzania is engaged in the commercial cultivation of blueberries, Ukraine can stop its sale to the Middle East, because the logistics to the Middle East and Asia  from Tanzania is cheaper as containers should be returned. In addition, it takes 5-7 days, and even to China products in containers can be delivered in a week,” Artem Gudkov says.

Considering the climatic peculiarities of Sub-Saharan Africa, it is possible to grow evergreen varieties of blueberries, which can be harvested almost at any time of the year. This means that there is an excellent opportunity for planning the production and sale of blueberries during the periods of maximum prices. By the way, some countries in the region are already increasing their export of blueberries, and even supplying products to Eastern Europe. For example, Zimbabwe is already among the suppliers of blueberries to Russia.

“This is not as an incredible idea as it might seem at first glance,” Andriy Yarmak says, economist at the investment department of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “Ukrainian blueberry producers can harvest berries in July-August in Ukraine, and then, after the end of technological operations and the end of the sales season, harvest and sell blueberries in the winter in Sub-Saharan Africa. This will allow the company to be present on the market almost all year round, which will increase its value for importers from the EU, the Middle East and even Asia and will allow it to double its revenues. In addition, it seems that the conditions for doing business in Tanzania, for instance, are no worse than in Ukraine,” the expert notes.

Andriy Yarmak will go into details about the possible strategies for the development of the global blueberry market during the FTrade Club Berries, April 8, 2021.

“If we talk about berries, Tanzania used not to have it on sale at all, and the cost of frozen blueberries could be $50/kg, and someone still bought it. Now blueberries in Tanzania can be bought without any problems – both imported from South Africa and local. Tanzanian blueberries are now cheaper than blueberries in Ukraine and taste better,”. Artem Gudkov notes.

Artem Gudkov’s interview with Andriy Yarmak for EastFruit is below.

Сообщение Ukrainian blueberry producers should consider investing in berry production in Africa – opinion появились сначала на EastFruit.

It is important for vegetable, fruit, and berry producers to know which horticulture products are growing most significantly in the world since the demand for those products is constantly increasing. Today, the fastest-growing position in terms of world horticulture exports are avocados. Avocado sales in monetary terms are growing by $780 million annually. This information was presented by Andriy Yarmak, an economist for the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), during the national online conference “Horticulture of Tajikistan – the best investment niches,” which was held on March 16, 2021.

The event was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapienza.

Mr Yarmak noted that along with avocados, the volume of world blueberry exports is increasing annually by 14%, which in monetary terms is $500 million. Also, bananas, sweet cherries, and raspberries round out the Top-5 positions of world horticulture exports.

Among the products whose world trade is declining the fastest, there are popular positions for investing now such as almonds, apples, garlic, and even kuraga (dried apricots). “However, this does not mean that there is a decrease in the consumption of these goods or even a decrease in their sales. The drop in world trade is only an indicator that there is likely to be pressure on prices in these segments,” explained the FAO economist.

For producers in Tajikistan, the main target audience of the conference, Andriy Yarmak recommended using niche approaches in their search for investment-attractive horticulture products. He also gave the example of Morocco, a country with climatic conditions very similar to southern Tajikistan. He explained that Morocco learned how to effectively find attractive horticultural niches and that “Moroccan exports of fresh berries in the winter reached $500 million and greenhouse tomatoes were $800 million. Neighbouring Uzbekistan earned $70 million from greenhouse tomato exports and Turkmenistan earned $30 million. Meanwhile, Tajikistan continues to import greenhouse tomatoes.”

Read also: Avocados on the rise in Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Georgia

Mr Yarmak named some attractive horticulture niches for investment in Tajikistan. Among them were the production of frozen and dried fruit and vegetable products, year-round cultivation and exports of fresh berries, cultivation of seedless early grapes for exports, premium quality large-fruited cherries, greenhouse vegetables, and various types of nuts. For apples specifically, he recommended focusing on growing early apple varieties for exports.

The FAO agricultural market export cautioned that in the course of planning one or more investments in the horticulture business, it is completely unacceptable for a producer’s business plan to be drawn up by sellers of seedlings. Business plans should be prepared by independent specialists. “It is also important to understand that product pricing announced in business planning, as a rule, should assume pricing for modified and finished products. Usually, business plans have had costs for the production of raw materials only. Investments in product refinement are often more expensive than investments in cultivation, but this is often forgotten. Marketing also costs money. Products do not sell themselves but many people forget about this also. Remember, unlimited demand for any product does not exist in nature – demand is always limited,” summed up Andriy Yarmak.

Below is a video of the full version of Andriy Yarmak’s presentation:

Сообщение Avocados are the fastest growing position in world horticulture exports – Andriy Yarmak появились сначала на EastFruit.

Improving apricot production and processing in Tajikistan expands its geography of supplies. Exports of dried apricots have reached 50,000 tons in just several years. These facts were announced by Lutfullo Ortikov, the founder of the fruit production company Fruits Valley, during the national online conference “Apricot business in Tajikistan: efficiency of production, processing and marketing.”

The event was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapieza.

“Tajikistan is one of the largest suppliers of dried apricots in the world. There are many varieties of apricots in Tajikistan that are used for drying. We started exporting dried apricots not only to traditional markets but also to developed markets,” said Lutfullo Ortikov.

According to the Fruits Valley founder, apricots in Tajikistan are traditionally dried under the sun: “Not every farmer is ready to dry an apricot in nature in a clean area. It is not so easy to organize this process competently. Ideally, we work with our farmers and suppliers to train them in accordance with the requirements of clients in the EU and the United States.”

Exports of dried apricot products

“The main export volume is in industrial dried apricots (30-35%), which we sell in traditional markets in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Uryuk (dried apricots with kernels) are a small and usually second-grade variety (industrial apricot). They are bought for compote mixtures and makeup 20% of exports. Their sales markets are to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the United States, and China.

Kuraga (dried apricots without kernels and of extra quality made of the Babai variety) are exported in a more expensive category. They are similar to Turkish dried apricots. Their sales markets are in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the United States, Poland, and Germany.

Iranians buy sweet kuraga (with sugar inside) in large quantities before Ramadan. They use it in a sacred place,” said Mr Ortikov.

He added that apricot kernels are a promising product that could open up new markets. “We already have contracts with Germany and we have started to supply this product to Italy.”

Read also: Global prices for fresh and dried apricots consistently decreasing, quality requirements increasing

Product packaging for the EU

The Fruits Valley company supplies products to the EU in large packages. “We do not use packing because of certain nuances. They do not trust us so they do the packing themselves on the spot. We send products in boxes and in bags without labels or stickers. The EU asks for a lot of documentation on the availability of packaging materials for food use and must not use metal staples in boxes,” explained the founder.

Labelling and logistics

Lutfullo Ortikov also paid attention to the question about labelling. According to him, each country has its own labelling requirements for each specific product both per unit of goods and per pallet. For example, the labels on products sent to Ukraine must be translated into Ukrainian.

“Deliveries from Tajikistan to EU countries are carried out by land transport to the buyer’s warehouse. The cost of delivery to the EU is on average $4,000,” he said.

A final takeaway by Mr Ortikov during the conference was the importance of creating a transparent supply chain. The end consumer must know the background of the product such as how the product was grown at what intervals and with what drugs it was processed.

You can watch the video below for more information on Fruits Valley’s experience of exporting dried apricots to the EU and US markets:

Сообщение Dried apricots from Tajikistan to US and EU markets – the export experience появились сначала на EastFruit.

Kuraga (dried apricots) is affectionately being referred to as the alternative currency of Tajikistan by EastFruit journalists. Interest in unique Tajik dried fruits is constantly growing. The country’s abundance of sunshine forms very sweet apricots of local varieties and drying them under the same sun without using any artificial heat sources makes this product truly special.

Another rare feature of kuraga from Tajikistan is the incredible concentration of apricot orchards in just four regions of the country! There are so many orchards that there is simply nowhere to dry the harvested apricots. Thus, they are laid out on any free piece of land – construction sites, yards, orchard aisles. Sometimes they are drying on the roofs of houses!

The apricot drying process is a must-see versus reading about it 100 times so we suggest you watch EastFruit’s video about how apricots are grown, harvested, dried, transported, packaged and sold (with emotional bargaining) in the Sughd region of Tajikistan! You will learn how apricot sulphation is carried out; which apricots the locals choose; how kuraga, kaisa, apricot and bargak differ; how a family can earn $20,000 from apricots in one month and much more!

Below you can watch EastFruit’s video about dried apricots of Tajikistan:

By the way, locals also make good money from green apricots known “gura” in Tajikistan and “dovcha” or “dovuccha” in Uzbekistan. Also, despite the frost in late February, dovcha are already on sale in supermarkets of Uzbekistan. You can watch EastFruit’s video about green apricots below:

Сообщение Kuraga (dried apricots) from the orchards of Tajikistan to the largest dried fruit market появились сначала на EastFruit.

Warm weather and massive early apricot flowering occurred in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in February. However, the frosts that came on February 25-27 caused significant damage to orchards in the Central and Northern parts of Tajikistan there are above average losses in the orchards that had begun to bloom.

Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov, an international consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Tajikistan, said that wholesale prices from farmers for dried fruits such as the apricot varieties affected from the frosts have already risen by more than 50%. His announcement was during the national online conference “Apricot business in Tajikistan: efficiency of production, processing and marketing” held this past week.

The event was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapienza.

“During February 25-27, temperatures in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan dropped to -10 degrees. In the southern regions of Tajikistan, apricots had already withered at the onset of cold weather. In this part of the country, this is normal because we have early apricots from South Khatlon already at the end of April. In central Tajikistan, massive flowering had noted during the frost period. In the north of the country, where 80% of the plantations are located, apricots bloomed in places but it was mostly swelling of the buds, the flowers had not bloomed.

The damage was suffered by orchards in the middle and northern parts of Tajikistan in particular the Bobodzhon-Gafurov and Asht districts where up to 40% of the orchards had already begun to bloom so the losses are above the national average,” Mr Abduvohidov said.

He went on to say that on average in Tajikistan, up to 30% of apricot orchards were affected. The remaining 70% are still in question because the flowering and pollination process is still ongoing. Also, mainly yellow apricot varieties were affected including mid-season varieties that are sold in the high price segment like dried fruits. Losses are noted for the Boboi and Mirsanchali varieties. According to the expert, the orange varieties are better preserved.

Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov also pointed out that losses in regions across Uzbekistan are also quite significant: “Great damage is noted in the Bukhara region. Approximately 25-30% of early apricot varieties had blossomed at the time of the frost and of them, approximately, more than 80% will no longer be tied further.”

The apricot plantations in the Samarkand region also suffered great damage. “In this area, according to our estimates, about 50% of the future harvest of early varieties of fresh apricots have suffered,” said Bakhtiyor Abduvohidov.

Thankfully, farmers of the Fergana Valley noted that there were no blooms during the frosts so the damage was about 5%, which is included in the category of ordinary losses. In the south of Uzbekistan, losses were also within the normal range of 5-10%.

The FAO expert also added that spring frosts affected the price of dried fruits. In particular, the cost of those affected apricot varieties has already risen by more than 50%. “Wholesale prices for some varieties have risen by 100% and this jump is due to the fact that farmers do not want to sell their products. Wholesalers who have contracts to process and supply products do not have raw materials. Farmers have stopped sales and are waiting for prices to rise,” said the FAO expert. Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov also stated that only after the next frost at the beginning of April, it will become known whether the price will go down or will rise.

“Traditionally, farmers conduct approbation and assessment of the future harvest in the first week of April. Then, contracts are concluded for the lease of apricot orchards so everyone is waiting to see how it will go,” Bakhtiyor Abduvohidov added.

Below is the video of Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov’s presentation in Russian from last week’s conference:

Сообщение Spring frosts in Tajikistan provoke a rise in prices for dried fruits появились сначала на EastFruit.

World trade in dried apricots has been decreasing in monetary terms by 3.5% annually since 2011 but increasing by 0.5% in fresh apricots. This suggests that fresh apricots are in demand on the world market much more than dried. The trade volume in fresh apricots is much higher than dried apricots (kuraga). This data was presented yesterday by Andriy Yarmak, an economist of the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), during the national online conference “Apricot business in Tajikistan: efficiency of production, processing and marketing.”

The event was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapieza.

“If we talk about the quantitative expression of world trade, then the volume of fresh apricots is growing by 5.7% annually. On the contrary, the trade of dried apricots is decreasing by 1.2% a year,” stressed Andriy Yarmak. He pointed out it is important to understand that there is no magic “best variety” that is most in-demand on the world market.

“The producer’s ability to extend the season is of much higher importance for successful trading. For example, in Italy, producers try to be present in the apricot market for 9 months of the year. This is the magic best variety, or rather the right set of many varieties when you are on the market almost all year round. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have good apricot varieties from which it is simply necessary to choose the best and intensify their production.

“The varieties must be transportable and tasty. For example, there is a tendency by the markets of the EU countries to increase the demand for two-tone varieties, while the demand for reds and light varieties are decreasing.

“Thanks to the cultivation of apricots in greenhouses, you can get an earlier product of the highest quality, which, in turn, allows you to get a higher price,” said the FAO economist.

Mr Yarmak referenced data in his presentation that Turkey is the leader in the world trade of dried apricots and it is also the largest apricot producer in the world. “Tajikistan, according to EastFruit analysts, ranks 4th in the world in terms of apricot production although official data is much lower than EastFruit estimates. Thus, Tajikistan is even ahead of Spain in terms of apricot production, but it has very weak exports, especially in the fresh apricot segment. Uzbekistan has a good balance of exports of dried and fresh apricots, but this country also has not yet fully realized the full potential of exporting these goods.”

He also stressed that the exports of fresh apricots bring on average three times more revenue than the exports of dried apricots: “This confirms once again that the added value in the fruit and vegetable business is not processing. After all, a cheaper product is always used for processing.” The average prices for apricots and dried apricots have a steady downward trend. “The market needs a higher quality apricot at a lower price, which means that competition in the apricot business is growing,” warned Andriy Yarmak.

The leaders in the imports of apricots in the world are Russia, Germany, and Iraq. The fastest-growing supplies are to Iraq, Pakistan, and Germany. The traditional sales market for Tajikistan – the Russian Federation – very quickly reduced imports due to the growth of its own production plus the decrease in the incomes of its population.

Сообщение Global prices for fresh and dried apricots consistently decreasing, quality requirements increasing появились сначала на EastFruit.

In order to be successful in the world trade of apricots and dried apricots (kuraga), it is necessary to know the main universal factors of success in the market like any other fruit and vegetable product. These factors were discussed yesterday by Andriy Yarmak, an economist at the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), during the national online conference “Apricot business in Tajikistan: efficiency of production, processing and marketing.”

The event was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapieza.

Dried apricots are 11th in the ranking of Top-12 goods that are losing popularity in the world fruit and vegetable trade. What is the reason? As Andriy Yarmak notes, the first three places in rating success factors are quality.

“The first three most important factors are quality, quality, and quality. I noticed that many people in the countries of Central Asia and Eastern Europe misunderstand what quality means. This category must be considered from the point of view of the buyer. For wholesalers and supermarket chains, quality means, above all else, a problem-free product. A high-quality apricot is a fruit that a customer buys and returns to buy it again. To do this, the apricots should not only be tasty and beautiful, they should reach the buyer without losing their appearance and not spoiling for consumers. This is quality.

“Another equally important factor is the duration of deliveries. If you sell apricots for one week a year, then in the next week you will be forgotten. If you sell your product or range of products for a long time, then you are interesting to the buyers. In addition, it is equally important to guarantee a significant volume of supplies, which means that cooperation among producers is inevitable,” emphasizes Andriy Yarmak.

Another significant factor is the price. Mr Yarmak pointed out that this does not mean that it should be low. It is important to correctly determine the price of your product. “It shouldn’t be too high, but it’s also important not to sell too cheap. To do this, it is worth getting access to market information. Thanks to the EastFruit platform, this information is available today – all that is required from producers is to start using it. Additionally, the largest international trade group was also created by the EastFruit team where you can get not only information about prices and trends but also find buyers for your products,” stressed the FAO economist.

Mr Yarmak also drove home the importance of producers needing to invest in marketing. “Unfortunately, products do not sell themselves. There are no shortages of apricots in the world so it is important to promote your product by investing in marketing, sales, and public relations. In addition, the reputation of the producer is important, which is very difficult to win and very easy to lose,” cautions Andriy Yarmak to the attention of the conference participants.

It is not enough to sell just once; producers need to provide a service to the buyers. “For example, very often sellers lose contact with buyers immediately after the product’s sale. I highly recommend sellers to call after a certain amount of time and clarify the results of their trade with buyers. It is very useful for sellers to understand whether their product was successfully sold and whether they need to make any changes in the future. This outreach is also appreciated by buyers who are more likely to return to you in the future because you were interested in their problems and not just your own,” notes Andriy Yarmak.

The FAO economist clarified another very important point – the need to exceed expectations, at least by 10%. “Always try to do at least 10% more than the client requires; this is the key to success in any business.”

Be sure to watch the video about how apricots are grown, harvested, dried, and sold in Tajikistan on our EastFruit YouTube channel!

Сообщение Dried apricots among world’s top-12 produce items losing popularity – how to successfully sell dried and fresh apricots? появились сначала на EastFruit.

As a Happy New Year gift for 2021, EastFruit offers its readers a list of our most popular articles for 2020. Topics with links are ranked based on how often the content was read and cited.

“The best news of 2020 for the horticulture sector was a sharp increase in the consumption of vegetables, fruits, and berries in the world as people were more concerned about their health regardless of costs. When we assessed the potential impact of the coronavirus on business in March-April 2020, we did not take this factor into account because we understood that revenues would fall. However, despite the sharp drop in income, not only did prices for vegetables and fruits not drop, but prices increased as their sales continued to grow. Let’s hope that even after the victory over the coronavirus, this trend will continue, which I sincerely wish for everyone!” says Andriy Yarmak, an economist at the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Also in 2020, EastFruit was able to launch a completely updated website, which has become more convenient to use. Everyone especially liked our new section on wholesale prices as well as the launch of the English version of the site.

Be that as it may, the worst pandemic in human history became the symbol of 2020. The coronavirus, or COVID-19, has been the focus of EastFruit since the beginning of the pandemic and we published our first materials on the topic back in January. We were the first to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the potential impact of COVID-19 on the horticulture business so several thousand people watched online conferences on this topic on our Youtube channel and over Zoom. Accordingly, blogs about the potential impact of COVID-19 on the horticulture business of the EastFruit region (Part 1) and (Part 2) also joined the rating of the most read materials.

The most read news of the year was the publication on the critical impact of bans on the sale of early fruits and vegetables in the wholesale and retail markets of Ukraine, which led to losses for small and medium-sized farmers. One of the first surprises of the impact of the coronavirus on the market was a sharp drop in banana consumption in several countries.

Everyone was also surprised by the drop in prices for early zucchini on the Ukrainian market to 1 UAH/kg when even at such a price there was almost no demand for them. However, soon after, the zucchini rose sharply again as many got rid of them.

Our article on the impact of COVID-19 on the apple market, published before the frost in Europe, stirred great interest. Although the harvest was significantly lower than forecasted and the demand for apples remained high, the world apple trade still declined. The wholesale prices for apples at the very end of 2020, despite the preliminary bright expectations of farmers, are lower in almost all countries of the region than at the same time in 2019.

A number of articles from Uzbekistan also had a huge effect. Residents of the country were outraged by the innovation by Uzbek authorities on the introduction of fines for citizens who did not plant potatoes, vegetables, or fruits on their own plots. This was one of the measures to ensure food safety due to coronavirus.

Our article “Why is Uzbekistan killing their successful greenhouse industry?” was also actively discussed. Soon after, Russia began to close access to its country’s greenhouse vegetable market for various regions of Uzbekistan, and then closed access to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In 2020, numerous problems with intensive orchards in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and other countries of the region surfaced.  In general, disappointment grew in Tajikistan, as the yield was several times lower than promised. We analyzed and ranked the top-10 problems so that farmers could fix and not repeat them. In addition, farmers of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were outraged by the fact that officials forced them to grow potatoes and vegetables in the aisles of the orchards, although, to be fair, many did this voluntarily and to their own detriment.

Potatoes were in the spotlight in Ukraine as they were imported in large quantities, even from Russia. It is not surprising that the “dirty potatoes” blog caused serious discussions not only in Ukraine. Incidentally, it has already attracted the attention of investors and the EastFruit team is discussing the nuances of the potato business with potential investors.

Given the lack of conferences, exhibitions, forums and trade missions in 2020 due to the pandemic, our article about the fruit and vegetable trade platforms provided on Telegram and Viber and how best to use them had a great response.

Articles about our retail audits of the produce sections of supermarket chains in different countries generated great interest. In this regard, it turned out to be interesting news about the mass closure of supermarkets in Russia during the mass openings of supermarkets in Uzbekistan.

The berry and nut businesses were also in the spotlight. However, we will prepare separate materials on the events in these industries. Here, we just want to point out a unique study conducted in 2020 by our colleagues from APK-Inform: Vegetables and Fruits entitled “The Market for Highbush Blueberries in Eastern Europe-2020” which showed a complete picture of varieties, areas, technologies, production volumes, exports, imports, etc., for Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus.  The most important thing is that the information is obtained directly from manufacturers, and not from official statistics. For EastFruit analysts, this study opened their eyes to many developments in the blueberry business in the region.

Speaking of nuts, let’s say that the top materials of our Youtube channel in 2020 were the videos Pistachio Cultivation Technology in California, Seven-Year-Old California Walnut Orchard of the Chandler Variety, How to Get 3 Tons of Walnuts/Hectare in the Third Year, and Technology, Technique, and Economics of Growing and Marketing Almonds in California.

In addition, many watched videos about Gura (Dovcha), Medlar (Japanese plum), correct approaches to pruning apple trees on M9 rootstock by Nina Dmitrash, and pruning table grapes in a greenhouse in Moldova.

Do not forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel and Facebook page in the Russian language to stay up to date with the main events of the region’s produce market in 2021. Also, for those who do not read in Russian, there is information in English – subscribe to our English language Facebook and LinkedIn pages. We hope in 2021 that new countries will join us and we are already working on it!

Сообщение EastFruit’s best articles on vegetables, fruits, berries, and nuts for 2020 появились сначала на EastFruit.

The production area of feijoa, which is an exotic fruit for our region, is rapidly growing in Georgia. This crop has become especially popular among farmers in the Samegrelo region where today almost all residents have at least a few feijoa bushes in their backyards. Locals like this fruit and the demand for it in other regions of Georgia is also increasing. Feijoa is an excellent source of iodine unlike any other plant product in the world.

To understand why Georgia became interested in feijoa, EastFruit turned to Zviad Bobokashvili, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences of Georgia. Together with Katerina Poberezhnaya, an international consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), they prepared an interesting video about feijoa, in which you can find out all the details about this interesting and promising crop and how it grows and blooms in Georgia.

EastFruit video about feijoa from Guria in Georgia:

Feijoa was introduced to Adjara and Abkhazia in Georgia at the beginning of the twentieth century. Dr. Bobokashvili says that by 1940 there were about 160 hectares of feijoa in Georgia; now it has grown to 360-400 hectares. The main areas of feijoa are concentrated in Western Georgia in the regions of Zugdidi, Lanchkhuti, Kobuleti, Khobi, and Samtredia. Also, some trees are found in the eastern regions of Sagarejo, Gurjaani, Lagodekhi, and Marneuli.

There are very few industrial plantings of feijoa, most are grown in personal plots. However, in Megrelia (Western Georgia), the first industrial plantations of feijoa are appearing because the yield reaches 15-20 tons per hectare. Feijoa is mainly grown in Georgia on the Black Sea coast because this fruit has a low cold resistance and is damaged by frosts at 10-12 degrees below zero. (Read more about the technology of growing feijoa at the end of this article.)

An interesting fact is that feijoa is pollinated not only by insects but by birds as well. Even feijoa flowers are delicious. The flowers are what attract birds, but people also love the taste of feijoa flowers.

Feijoa has good prospects in the organic segment. The plant does not have very many pests and diseases in Georgia so it can also be grown organically. This will further increase the value of the fruit when exported to countries where organic is already an established trend.

Considering the area expansion, the production of feijoa in Georgia is growing rapidly. According to EastFruit analysts, Georgia is actively increasing the export of feijoa. In 2019, the export of Georgian feijoa almost doubled reaching 400 tons. The main market was Ukraine where 235 tons of these exotic fruits were sent. Armenia was also a major buyer. Supplies of feijoa were mainly made to the markets of neighbouring countries since this fruit is not very transportable. Recently, export shipments of feijoa from Georgia to Russia, Slovenia, and Belarus have also been registered. If a system is developed to finalize the data for these exotic fruits, then it is possible that Georgia will be able to make good money on exporting feijoa to EU countries.

Superba and Coolidge are the most widespread varieties of feijoa in Georgia. Superba is an Australian variety characterized by medium-sized fruits weighing 30-50 grams with a rounded, smooth surface, medium-ripe variety, requires cross-pollination, and is characterized by high yields. Coolidge is also an Australian variety that is medium-sized, average fruit weight of 40-60 grams with an elongated elliptical shape and slightly woody skin, early-medium maturity variety, self-pollinated, and characterized by high yields.

Other industrial varieties of feijoa, which are also widely cultivated, are Triumph, Mammoth, Trask (improved clone of Coolidge), Choyesana, Nezamets, and others. Georgia should pay attention to the more transportable and lighter varieties that are now appearing among breeders particularly in New Zealand. This would allow Georgia to increase the export of feijoa to the EU countries.

It is noteworthy that the production of feijoa on a commercial scale is relatively rare in the world. Its main manufacturer and exporter are currently New Zealand, which commercializes and advertises the product extensively. Feijoa is also grown commercially in Australia, the United States (California, Florida), Italy (Sicily), and Portugal.

Citrus market analysts have noted an increase in demand for feijoa, especially in Europe and the United States. Therefore, it would be wise for Georgian farmers to take the cultivation of this crop seriously. With the increased production of feijoa and improved fruit quality as well as the development of cooling and processing infrastructure, it is possible that feijoa will become a new and promising export product.

Feijoa is a subtropical crop and much more adapted to the climatic conditions of Georgia than citrus fruits. In Adjara, feijoa begins growing in early March, flower buds appear at the end of April, flowering begins in the first ten days of May through June. Flowering lasts 25-30 days, sometimes even up to 50 days.

The feijoa plant is characterized by relatively weak growth, begins to germinate in the 4th-5th year after planting, and enters full fruiting in the 8th-10th year. The average yield of a bush is 15-18 kg, although in some cases plants can produce up to 22-30 kg. The average yield per hectare is 15-20 tons/hectare.

For growing feijoa plantations, it is best to choose fertile, humus-rich, humus-calcareous soils, brown soils, calcareous or slightly alluvial soils of medium and light texture. Less suitable areas are eroded slopes, heavy clay and loamy soils, and less drained wetlands. Before planting, the soil is deeply cultivated 40-45 cm, then the soil is loosened and prepared for planting a seedling.

For plantations, the recommended planting schemes are 4×4 and 4×3 metres, but it can also be planted in 5×2 and 5×3 metre system. Feijoa is planted in pre-prepared pits 40-45 centimetres deep. When planting, it is best to add 12-15 kg of humus or compost. The newly planted plant is tied to a support in loose soil. In places where there is no danger of winter frosts, seedlings are planted in late autumn or in spring from March-April. For planting, it is better to use two-year seedlings with loam soil since seedlings with bare roots do not take root well.

Manure and peat compost is used on plantations during autumn tillage of 80-100 ton/hectare. Phosphate flour, ammonium nitrate, and potassium salt are used as mineral fertilizers. In an adult plantation, it is recommended to add 150-180g of nitrogen, 200-220g of phosphorus, and 100-120g of potassium per bush in terms of the active substance.

The feijoa plant takes the form of a bush. 5 to 6 of the most well-developed shoots are selected and the rest are cut off at the base. Feijoa develops relatively less frequent offshoots so it does not require a lot of pruning. New shoots as well as dried and diseased ones are usually removed in the spring.

Feijoa is relatively less susceptible to pests and diseases so it will not be difficult to grow organically. Yet, it is susceptible to mites as well as diseases with leaf rot. In this case, it is necessary to use the appropriate insecticides, acaricides, and fungicides.

The early feijoa varieties are harvested at the end of September. The fruit does not ripen at the same time, therefore several days of harvest are required. The period of massive ripening begins in the second half of October to the first half of November. After ripening, the fruits become light green, soft, and fragrant. Overripe fruits easily fall off when the branches are shaken. The fruits are picked by hand and placed neatly in baskets and buckets. Feijoa fruits have a shorter shelf life so the storage time in cool warehouses, depending on the variety does not exceed 2-4 weeks.

For reference:

Feijoa (Acca sellowiana or Feijoa sellowiana Berg) is an evergreen shrub of the myrtle family, 3-5 metres tall with an original grey stem and beautiful shiny dark green leaves. Feijoa has ovoid, green fruits weighing 30-60 grams, which are characterized by an incomparable sweet-sour taste and pineapple aroma.

Feijoa is a very healthy fruit. The use of these fruits in food has a positive effect on human health, which is largely due to the chemical composition. Its fruits are rich in pectin, sugars, various trace elements, vitamins, and most importantly, contain a particularly large amount of iodine (2.0-4.0 mg/1000 g). Marmalades, jams, compotes, lemonades, and juices are also made from feijoa. Thanks to the original tree with beautiful evergreen leaves, long flowering, are often used for decorative purposes.

Feijoa Flower

Feijoa is native to South America and can often be found in the wild in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The plant was first described in 1819 on a scientific expedition to the province of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil led by the German naturalist Friedrich Sellow and Brazilian scientist João da Silva Feijó. It is with their surnames that the public name of this crop is connected – “Feijoa”, and the scientific name is “Sellowa”. A special role in the study and distribution of feijoa was played by the French professor Edouard André of the Versailles School of Fruits, who brought this crop to Europe from La Plata, Argentina in 1890, and the German botanist Ernst Berger, who was the first to make its botanical classification.

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