Uzbekistan successfully shipped its first batch of table grapes to the United States, marking a step in agricultural exports. EastFruit reported that this initial shipment served as a market test to gauge American consumer interest in the unique flavors of Uzbek grapes. The results have been encouraging, paving the way for expanded exports.
The grapes made their way to American consumers through NetCost supermarkets, which cater primarily to ethnic communities. This collaboration was likely facilitated by Edward Shnayder, the founder and CEO of NetCost, who emigrated from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to the United States at the age of 17. His deep-rooted familiarity with the traditional grape varieties of Uzbekistan undoubtedly contributed to the success of this venture.
Shnayder’s connection to Uzbekistan is profound; his grandparents, of Jewish descent, moved to the country during World War II, fleeing turmoil in Ukraine and Moldova. They established their lives in Uzbekistan, where Shnayder's parents ran a small fruit and vegetable shop. After relocating to the U.S., the family leveraged their retail experience to build a successful business targeting ethnic communities. Today, they own a popular restaurant named “1001 Nights” and a chain of supermarkets in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Philadelphia.
The grapes from Uzbekistan passed through rigorous checks by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cleared customs, and underwent phytosanitary control at New York’s airport before being sold at NetCost. A newly established export agreement between the Uzbek-American Trade House in New York and GardenCells LLC in Tashkent enabled the shipment of 1.7 tons of traditional grape varieties, such as "Lady’s Finger," "Kish-Mish," "Mercedes," and "Khusayni," to the U.S. market.
Following the success of this initial shipment, Uzbekistan plans to increase its exports, targeting 3-4 tons of table grapes to the U.S. each week. Given that Uzbekistan is one of only two double landlocked countries globally, its ability to export by sea is limited, making air freight the primary mode of transport for these shipments.
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