Over the past week, the first large batches of sour cherries have appeared on the wholesale markets of Uzbekistan’s capital. A key feature of the current season is the record-high prices for this product, which, according to EastFruit experts, are driven by unprecedented demand for Uzbek sour cherries on international markets.
This season, the first wholesale batches arrived at least a week earlier than in any of the past five years. At the same time, the average wholesale price for fresh sour cherries is at least 70% higher compared to the same period in previous years.
According to EastFruit’s price monitoring data, as of May 23, 2025, the average wholesale price for fresh sour cherries in Uzbekistan was 17,000 UZS/kg (approximately $1.32). For comparison, in 2023 and 2021, the first wholesale batches appeared only at the end of May, at average prices of 8,000 UZS/kg ($0.70) and 10,000 UZS/kg ($0.95), respectively.
Market participants expect the sour cherry harvest this season to be roughly in line with previous years. However, despite stable domestic demand, these record-high prices are driven by a surge in demand for Uzbek sour cherries in foreign markets.
Also read: Uzbek Sweet Cherry Season 2025: High Yields, but Few Large-Caliber Fruits
As previously reported by EastFruit, the sour cherry market in Uzbekistan is experiencing a real boom: demand from Russian and Belarusian importers is at an all-time high. Additionally, on May 19, 2025, a delegation of Serbian companies arrived in Tashkent, expressing interest in importing Uzbek sour cherries and apricots.
This surge in interest is largely due to the severe damage caused by late spring frosts in April and May 2025, which significantly affected the stone fruit harvests in Eastern and Central Europe.
For more details, see our article: “Sweet and Sour Cherries to Be in Short Supply in 2025, with High Prices – EastFruit.”
