In 2023, Uzbekistan imported 133,500 tonnes of bananas, marking a 5% decrease from the record figure set in 2022. The total value of these imports was $95.1 mn, according to preliminary data from the Statistics Agency.
Ecuador was the primary supplier, accounting for 97.4% of imports with 130,000 tonnes. Other suppliers included China (1,043 tonnes), Georgia (976 tonnes), Turkey (746 tonnes), and Kazakhstan (375 tonnes). Notably, China entered the list of banana suppliers to Uzbekistan for the first time in 2023.
Import trends
Following the exemption of banana imports from customs duty in October 2021, imports of this fruit increased sharply. The import volumes over the years were as follows:
- 2020: 39,700 tonnes
- 2021: 89,200 tonnes
- 2022: 140,200 tonnes
- 2023: 133,500 tonnes
It is worth noting that the duty-free period on bananas and several other food products has been extended multiple times, with the latest extension until the end of 2024.
Comparison with previous years
In comparison to 2022, when 140,200 tonnes of bananas were imported, there was a decrease in the import volume in 2023. Despite this, Ecuador remained the main supplier in both years.
In the first 4M 2023, banana imports to Uzbekistan comprised only 29,200 tonnes, which is 27% less than in the same period of the previous year. However, the total import volume reached 120,000 tonnes by the end of November.
In 2022, Uzbekistan imported a record volume of bananas, with the total reaching 140,200 tonnes. The import volume in Q1 2022 was 40,100 tonnes, which was 2.5 times more than in the same period in 2021.
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