Baku, Azerbaijan, July 25
Trend:
US Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing assistance to Uzbek producers of fruits and vegetables in expanding their business in the domestic and international markets, Podrobno.uz reports.
The assistance is provided in establishing links between Uzbek companies and American suppliers of new materials and equipment, as well as the entry of these companies into new international markets so that they can increase exports of their products. Gold Dried Fruit Export LLC (GDF) is one of such companies.
GDF was founded in 2012 for the processing of fresh and production of dried and frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as their packaging and delivery to local and export markets.
GDF has purchased with the assistance of USAID a seedling stock from an American producer from California in order to improve the quality of walnuts. The company has also acquired agricultural machinery from the US in order to improve the efficiency of on-farm operations.
"Companies like the one we are visiting today are important because they create jobs throughout Uzbekistan and improve the quality of fruits and vegetables sold," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Henry Ensher said during his visit. "USAID has supported for many years the development of the agricultural sector in Uzbekistan. USAID has worked together with the government of Uzbekistan to help manufacturers meet the requirements of international markets."
In order to expand the markets of GDF, USAID put the company in touch with potential buyers in export markets and provided advice on improving the quality of products. GDF signed letters of intent to export products with six Latvian and Lithuanian companies, worth over $17 million, as a result of a trade mission and a study tour on transport and logistics in the Baltic states, organized by USAID on April 9-14.