Amid a sharp decline in stone fruit production across Europe, Uzbekistan is attracting new buyers seeking reliable sources of apricots and sour cherries. On May 19, a delegation of Serbian companies arrived in Tashkent to explore the possibility of importing frozen stone fruits from Uzbekistan, according to EastFruit.
The visit comes in the wake of unprecedented crop failures in countries such as Turkey, Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, and Romania. Serbia, which hosts one of the world’s largest fruit freezing industries, has been severely affected by the shortage—especially after losing most of its raspberry harvest. With limited options available in Europe, Serbian processors are now turning to Uzbekistan’s strong 2025 harvest to fill the gap.
Industry experts note that Serbian buyers are primarily interested in frozen fruit, given the logistical challenges of transporting fresh produce suitable for freezing. Meetings between Serbian businesses and Uzbek exporters and processors are expected to result in contracts for large volumes of frozen sour cherries and apricots.
Uzbekistan, along with neighboring Tajikistan, is experiencing a bumper stone fruit season this year. Apricot prices are currently below long-term averages, enhancing the country’s competitiveness in global markets.
The situation has opened new opportunities for Uzbekistan to expand its exports not only to Eastern Europe but also to the European Union and Turkey, where demand for both fresh and dried fruits is rising due to local shortages.
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