EastFruit analysts have indicated that by the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, Uzbekistan stands on the brink of breaking into the esteemed ranks of the world’s top five fresh onion exporters.
While Uzbekistan has consistently held a place among the top ten onion exporters in previous seasons, the 2023/24 season brought about notable changes. A series of export bans imposed by various countries, including traditionally prominent exporters like Egypt and Türkiye, opened up opportunities for Uzbekistan to make significant strides in the market.
Simultaneously, Uzbekistan witnessed record-breaking onion production, mirroring trends seen across the region. Despite a subsequent drop in onion prices by 40% in January compared to the harvest period, traders actively sought export avenues to minimize losses. Consequently, the wholesale markets in Poland saw a surge of Uzbekistani onions as early as January.
Looking ahead, the commencement of export shipments from the new harvest in late March is anticipated to further bolster Uzbekistan’s position in the global onion trade. EastFruit analysts project that Uzbekistan’s onion exports for this season could surpass 300 thousand tons, setting a new record.
Should this forecast materialize, Uzbekistan could leapfrog over established exporters such as Poland, Afghanistan, Spain, Egypt, and even potentially the United States, cementing its position among the world’s top five onion exporters.
