Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Shahin

Read more

Dried fruit export and import have historically played significant roles in Central Asia, contributing to the region's economy, culture, and trade networks.

Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, have been major exporters of dried fruits to international markets. Their geographical location, favourable climate, and abundance of fruit orchards make them well-suited for fruit production and export.

Azerbaijan indeed possesses significant potential in fruit production, but its processing industry has not yet reached the desired level of development.

One of the countries in Central Asia, Uzbekistan, expressed its willingness to cooperate with Azerbaijan in this field, through which Uzbek dried fruits may be exported via Azerbaijan.

Between 2020 and 2021, the exports of dried fruits grew the fastest in Turkiye ($87.9M), Pakistan ($58.7M), China ($52.5M), Kyrgyzstan ($30.3M), and the United States ($28.5M). Between 2020 and 2021, the fastest-growing importers of dried fruits were China ($98M), United States ($77.8M), Russia ($40.4M), France ($34.8M), and Germany ($28.9M).

Uzbekistan ranks fifth in the dry fruit market, worth 2.9 billion.

The participation of representatives from the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) at the exhibition titled "INNOPROM: Big Industrial Week in Uzbekistan" reflects a positive effort towards fostering economic collaboration between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The exchange of views on enhancing mutual exports and investments demonstrates a commitment to exploring new opportunities for economic growth and cooperation.

The specific discussions held with Hakan Agro Invest, Sunny Land Products (Bonaf), and Eximsol regarding the packaging of Uzbek dried fruits in the Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ) or other Azerbaijani industrial parks are noteworthy. This suggests a strategic consideration for leveraging Azerbaijan's industrial infrastructure for the benefit of Uzbek products, particularly dried fruits. The prospect of exporting these goods to third countries underscores a broader vision for economic expansion and global trade.

Uzbekistan, being distant from Europe, aims to implement this through Azerbaijan. While Uzbekistan focuses on the production of dried fruits, Azerbaijan, with its developed packaging sector, seeks mutual economic development by benefiting from each other's strengths.

In addition to facilitating trade between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, the export of Uzbekistan's dried fruits through Azerbaijan can offer a range of benefits for both countries. Firstly, it can significantly boost economies by stimulating bilateral trade and fostering a mutually beneficial economic relationship. Reexporting Uzbek dried fruits will diversify Azerbaijan's non-oil exports.

Furthermore, agricultural collaboration between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan can emerge from the trade in dried fruits, leading to knowledge sharing in agricultural practices and technologies. This collaboration can drive improvements in agricultural productivity and sustainability, benefiting both countries in the long term. It will also create new permanent jobs. Furthermore, this new know-how for Azerbaijan can lead to new specialties in the country.

Overall, government policies, trade agreements, and market dynamics will play crucial roles in determining the extent of these benefits and fostering sustainable economic and cultural relations between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Dried fruit export and import have played a significant role in the processing of agricultural products and culture in Central Asian countries.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz