The EastFruit team received information from representatives of the Uzbek company “Fruit Voyage” that they have become the first company from Uzbekistan to make a commercial shipment of fresh Uzbek lemons to the Japanese market. The first export batch of Uzbek Meyer lemons was delivered from Uzbekistan to Japan in February 2025. “Fruit Voyage” is part of the larger “Exim Agro” Group, based in the Kuva district of the Fergana region in Uzbekistan.
This export shipment was largely possible due to Uzbekistan’s predominant cultivation of Meyer lemons, which differ significantly from other lemon varieties in appearance and taste. Japan is known for its appreciation of unique niche fruits and other food products.
Entering the Japanese market required significant efforts, as it is one of the most demanding globally in terms of product quality and safety. Additionally, Japanese importers are cautious about making deals with new partners, making this event quite extraordinary.
Yes, more efforts will be needed as this was only a trial batch, delivered by air. To continue cooperation with Japanese importers, the company plans to invest additional resources in improving packaging and finding new logistics solutions.
According to the management of “Fruit Voyage,” the first shipment was successful, allowing the company to start active negotiations for further supplies of Uzbek lemons, as well as melons, seedless grapes, pomegranates, and persimmons to the Japanese market.
For those unfamiliar with the Meyer lemon, it is a natural hybrid of unknown origin, believed to result from the accidental crossbreeding of a lemon (Citrus limon) and a mandarin or orange (Citrus reticulata or Citrus sinensis). Its origins trace back to China, where it was grown for centuries as an ornamental plant due to its fragrance and bright orange fruits.
Unlike the sharp acidity of regular lemons (such as Eureka or Lisbon varieties), the mild and sweet taste of the Meyer lemon reflects its mandarin heritage. The Meyer lemon also has a significantly thinner skin, which reduces shelf life and limits its transportability, making it less common in commercial horticulture.
This variety was introduced to the Western world by Frank Nicholas Meyer, a Dutch-American botanist and agricultural explorer working for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 1908, Meyer discovered the plant during one of his expeditions to China, in the Beijing area. He found it in pots where Chinese families grew it as an ornamental houseplant. Meyer saw the plant’s potential for both decorative and culinary purposes and sent cuttings to the USA, where the fruit was subsequently named after him.
One reason the Meyer lemon is grown in Uzbekistan is its significantly higher frost resistance compared to other lemon varieties. Despite this, the Meyer lemon is grown in semi-enclosed greenhouses of the so-called “Chinese type” in Uzbekistan. Additionally, this lemon proved to be quite productive although with smaller size of the fruits, leading to its moderate popularity in California by the early 20th century, primarily among amateur gardeners.
The Meyer lemon did not become popular in commercial horticulture mainly due to its poor transportability and the discovery in the 1940s that it is an asymptomatic carrier of the Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), a devastating disease affecting citrus trees. Although the Meyer lemon itself did not suffer from the virus, it could transmit it to other citrus crops, posing a serious threat to California’s commercial citrus industry. As a result, the original strain of the Meyer lemon was banned, and many trees were destroyed to protect orchards with oranges, lemons, and other varieties.
In the 1950s, researchers at the University of California began work on restoring the Meyer lemon. They isolated a virus-free strain through careful selection and propagation, and in 1970 released the “Improved Meyer Lemon.” This variety retained all the desirable qualities – sweet-tart taste, thin skin, and cold resistance – while eliminating the risk of spreading CTV. The improved version revived interest in the Meyer lemon, allowing it to be grown in nurseries and home gardens across the USA, especially in California and the southern states.
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The revival of the Meyer lemon coincided with the rise of culinary arts in the late 20th century. Chefs and home cooks appreciated its delicate flavor for making desserts (such as lemon tarts and marmalades), savory dishes, and beverages. The long ripening season, lasting from late autumn to early spring, peaking from December to March, made it a niche winter favorite among culinary enthusiasts. Many famous chefs contributed to its popularity, cementing its status as a culinary treasure.
Today, Meyer lemons are grown in small commercial quantities in the USA and Europe and are sold alongside regular lemons. These fruits are mainly sold at farmers’ markets and specialty stores – they do not reach supermarket shelves there, as they do in Uzbekistan.
The Lemon Market in Japan: Potential and Prospects
According to representatives of “Fruit Voyage,” Japan annually imports over 75,000 tons of fresh lemons, mainly from the USA and New Zealand. However, the demand for alternative sources of supply is growing, opening new opportunities for Uzbek producers. According to the Japanese Fruit Importers Association, there has been a trend in recent years towards increasing the share of unique and aromatic lemon varieties, including Meyer lemons.
The company believes that Uzbekistan, with its unique agro-climatic conditions, can become a reliable supplier of lemons to the Japanese market. In 2023, more than 120,000 tons of lemons were harvested in the country, according to their estimates.
However, despite the large-scale production of lemons, Uzbekistan exports almost none of them. Only about 4% of the lemons grown in Uzbekistan reach foreign markets, specifically the markets of three countries: Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. In the Russian market, Mayer lemons are mainly in demand among migrants from Central Asian countries and are little known to the general local consumer. At the same time, Uzbekistan has been increasing imports of regular yellow lemons, mainly from Turkey, in recent years.
Nevertheless, the Meyer lemon, due to its uniqueness, can become one of Uzbekistan’s calling cards in foreign markets. Uzbekistan is almost the only country with large-scale production of this lemon variety and one of the few countries where this type of lemon absolutely dominates local consumption.
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