Russia President Vladimir Putin has reported that the volume of Uzbek agricultural imports has increased by 10 percent since the start of the year, with citrus fruit having increased by a factor of 54.
“Total supplies from Uzbekistan increased by 10%, and for several other items the jump in volume was significantly more. For several vegetable varieties import volumes increased by 10 times as much; for grapes – 20 times, and for citrus fruits – 54 times more,” he said Tuesday 26 April during a meeting with the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.
Putin said that the overall dollar equivalent of the volume of bilateral trade dropped, but in rubles, it increased. “Growth was also seen in physical volumes, and this growth was during the first quarter of the year.”
A sharp increase in grape and lemon imports from Uzbekistan was recorded in 2015. From 2014 to 2015, grape imports increased from 339 tonnes to 13,432 tonnes. Lemon imports increased from 14 tonnes to 621 tonnes.
The two countries held discussions on the prospects of developing a strategic partnership during Uzbekistan President Karimov's two-day official visit to Russia on April 25-26.
Trade-economic cooperation has a special place in the Moscow-Tashkent ties. Russia is Uzbekistan's second largest foreign trade partner. Uzbekistan exports transport equipment, cotton fiber, tricots, fruit and vegetables, black and ferrous metals, as well as services. Russia, in turn, exports the products of chemical and paper industry, as well as food products.
During the talks, Putin and Karimov agreed to boost the volume and variety of exports of Uzbek fruit and vegetables.
