The potato area in Uzbekistan has more than doubled for the 2022 season. The reason for this is the huge and persistent price increase of the ware potato in the country in recent years. The import of potatoes has therefore increased sharply since 2017.
Last season the area was 157.000 hectares. This year that has increased to no less than 243.000 hectares, an increase of 55%. The harvest volume is therefore estimated at 4,1 million tons of potatoes. This expansion is necessary to provide our own population with sufficient potatoes and is not intended for export.
Record import from Uzbekistan
Potato consumption has been rising sharply in Uzbekistan for years. For example, consumption last season was 3,4 million. That is more than the gross yield of the 2021 harvest of 3,3 million tons of potatoes. Of this, another 650.000 tons are retained as seed potatoes. Imports reached a record last year. Until 2016, the annual import volume did not exceed 50.000 tons per year. In 2017 this increased to 194.000 tons and in 2021 the counter has risen to 560.000 tons of potatoes. Imports mainly come from Iran, Kazakhstan and Pakistan, which are responsible for more than 90%. The Netherlands has also occupied a place on the import list of a few percent in recent years.
The price of potatoes has been rising rapidly for several years due to continued growing consumption. The price of potatoes also rises sharply during the year because our own stock runs out and more has to be imported. From March, when early potatoes become available again, the price will drop sharply again. For example, the price of potatoes fell by 44% in the period from mid-March to mid-April.