Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  As part of the project "Effective Use of the EU Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+) in Uzbekistan," the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade, in collaboration with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), organized a visit by a delegation from Uzbekistan to Latvia, Germany, and France with the aim of increasing exports of fruits and vegetables to the European market. The visit took place from 18 to 27 November.

During the program, meetings were held from 18 to 20 November in Riga with representatives of major fruit and vegetable importing companies such as "ELBI" and "KGS GRUPA." Discussions were also held with "ACTS" on transportation and logistics issues, as well as B2B meetings with representatives of the Uzbekistan Trade House in Latvia.

A meeting was also held with the Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Latvia, where transport opportunities in Latvia and Lithuania for increasing exports to Europe were discussed. The potential of entering European markets via the Klaipeda port was also explored.

In Germany, meetings were held with representatives of one of the largest retail chains, "EDEKA," and "DEDEBIO International" in Bremen. These companies expressed interest in importing fresh and dried fruits and vegetables, and preliminary agreements were reached after showcasing local products.

At the "Berliner Grobmarkt" fruit and vegetable trading complex, after reviewing product samples and analyzing prices, meetings were organized with importers such as "Keuthmann," "Lykos," and "Sonnenfrucht," resulting in concrete agreements for supplying Uzbek products.

In France, discussions were held with representatives of the French company "Adla Sp z.o.o." on increasing exports of dried fruits and vegetables to France, Poland, and the Netherlands. The delegation also visited the "Rungis" market, the largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market in France, where they met with major importers "Saisof" and "Raphael Primeurs SAS."

Additionally, a meeting was held with Uzbek entrepreneurs involved in importing food products to France, where the prospects of establishing a steady supply chain for European markets and opening a Trade House of Uzbekistan in Paris were discussed.

Overall, the visit highlighted the high quality and competitiveness of Uzbekistan's agribusiness sector products, as well as the willingness of European importers to engage in long-term partnerships with Uzbek counterparts.