Uzbek President Criticises Weak Agro-Export Efforts to UK, Japan and Others
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has criticised the underperformance of Uzbekistan’s trade advisors in several key diplomatic missions, citing their limited contribution to boosting fruit and vegetable exports to countries such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden and Japan.
At a recent government meeting on the state of agro-export development, the president noted that efforts by diplomatic representatives in these countries have failed to meet expectations. As a result, Uzbekistan’s agricultural exports to not only these markets but also to India and Qatar have lagged behind projections.
Uzbekistan’s agricultural exports currently rely heavily on neighbouring and regional markets, with Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and China being the primary destinations. However, exports to South Korea, Hungary and Poland have declined.
To reverse this trend, ambassadors have now been instructed to collaborate more closely with domestic exporters. Their responsibilities include helping identify new market opportunities, facilitating trade fairs, and supporting the creation of trade houses and storage facilities abroad, according to a statement from the presidential press office.
Despite the geographic imbalance, Uzbekistan’s agro-exports remain on an upward trajectory. In the first half of 2025, the country exported $1.3 bn worth of fruit and vegetables, a 44% year-on-year increase.
Kursiv also reports that due to a poor harvest in Turkey, Uzbekistan could become the second-largest apricot exporter in the world by the end of 2025.
