Bananas remain the largest imported fruit category in Uzbekistan in terms of volume. Since 2021, the country’s consumption of this product has been steadily increasing, regularly setting new historical highs. The first half of 2025 was no exception—import volumes reached a new record, according to analysts at EastFruit.
According to data from the National Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan imported 95.3 thousand tons of bananas from January to June of this year, which is 5% higher than the previous record for the same period in 2024.
In terms of import origins, 98.6% of this volume came from Ecuador—a total of 94 thousand tons. The remaining imports were supplied by China (539 tons), Kyrgyzstan (295 tons), India (224 tons), and other countries (205 tons).
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EastFruit analysts have repeatedly highlighted the consistent upward trend in banana consumption in the country. In the report “Uzbekistan is rapidly becoming a major fruit importer”, key factors driving this growth were identified, including:
- the emerging trend of year-round fruit consumption,
- an increase in real household incomes, and
- a zero import duty rate on tropical fruits.
In the first half of 2025, banana consumption growth was also supported by relatively stable banana prices on the domestic market. From January to June 2025, wholesale prices for bananas remained roughly at the same level as during the same period last year.
Moreover, over the past four months (with a few exceptions), Uzbekistan has consistently had the lowest wholesale banana prices compared to countries such as Russia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine—despite these countries having shorter and logistically simpler supply chains.
This, according to EastFruit experts, is evidence of the high efficiency of banana trade operations in Uzbekistan.
