ATIS Meets with H.E. Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan

ATIS was honored to meet with His Excellency Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to discuss opportunities for advancing Uzbekistan’s horticultural sector through investment, technology, and practical implementation.

We sincerely appreciate the Minister for taking the time to meet with our team and for his interest in discussing how international expertise can support Uzbekistan’s long-term agricultural development priorities.

During the meeting, ATIS presented its perspective on supporting Uzbekistan's National Program for the Development of Industrial Intensive Orchards, an ambitious government initiative aimed at modernizing the country's horticulture sector. Today, Uzbekistan has 572,600 hectares of orchards and vineyards, generating approximately USD 1 billion in annual exports, with an average export value of USD 1,746 per hectare.

This transformation is not only about planting more orchards. It requires an integrated approach: modern orchard systems, commercial varieties, certified planting material, cold chain infrastructure, quality improvement, and the ability to extend sales beyond the harvest season.

In ATIS’ moderate scenario, these measures can help increase value creation from the current USD 1,746 per hectare toward a target level of around USD 8,000 per hectare, thereby increasing Uzbekistan’s export potential for fruits and other high-value horticultural crops to nearly USD 3 billion.

The meeting also addressed the importance of post-harvest infrastructure. Uzbekistan already faces a significant cold storage capacity gap, estimated at 386,000 tons, with a potential future gap of approximately 1.2 million tons after the implementation of a national intensive orchard development program.

In this context, ATIS can contribute practical expertise in national planning, regional demand assessment, investment roadmaps, pilot orchards, technology validation, commercial varieties, and coordination with international partners.

ATIS remains committed to supporting Uzbekistan’s horticultural transformation by connecting international expertise with local implementation and helping shape investment-ready, commercially viable agricultural projects.

We are grateful for the opportunity to exchange ideas with H.E. Laziz Kudratov and look forward to continuing this constructive dialogue.