Uzbekistan Approves Imports of Georgian Hazelnuts, Almonds and Citrus

Three product groups receive approval

Uzbekistan has approved imports of hazelnuts, almonds and citrus products from Georgia after completing a phytosanitary risk assessment, EastFruit reported, citing UzDaily. The decision creates a new route to the Uzbek market for Georgian suppliers of two major nut categories and citrus fruit.

The approval followed an online meeting between Jamshid Urunov, deputy chairman of Uzbekistan’s Food Safety Committee responsible for plant protection and quarantine, and Zurab Lipartia, deputy head of Georgia’s National Food Agency. The officials discussed phytosanitary cooperation, broader bilateral trade in agricultural products and the safety of imported goods.

No shipment volumes, implementation date or product-specific certification conditions were disclosed. Exporters will therefore still need to confirm the applicable documentation, inspection and quarantine requirements before arranging commercial deliveries.

Further fruit approvals require separate assessments

Georgia is also seeking wider access for apples, peaches, nectarines and blueberries. Uzbekistan will conduct individual phytosanitary risk assessments for these products after receiving the required technical materials from the Georgian authorities. The results will determine the conditions that exporters must meet to enter the market.

The Georgian side said it was ready to organize a joint inspection involving Uzbek specialists. The proposed visit would cover agricultural land and companies that prepare produce for export. Inspectors would assess phytosanitary conditions, production and storage practices, compliance with established requirements and the possible presence of quarantine pests.

The separate review process means the approval for hazelnuts, almonds and citrus should not be interpreted as automatic access for Georgia’s other fruit categories. Each additional product remains subject to its own technical evaluation and any requirements imposed by Uzbekistan.

Institutional reforms frame bilateral cooperation

Uzbek officials said institutional reforms had created the Food Safety Committee by bringing together key state administration and control functions covering food safety, phytosanitary regulation and veterinary oversight. The Georgian market, meanwhile, remains open to all types of Uzbek agricultural products when shipments carry the appropriate phytosanitary certificates.

For Georgian growers, processors and traders, the immediate commercial opportunity is limited to the three approved groups. The decision nevertheless expands the potential customer base for hazelnuts, almonds and citrus and establishes a regulatory pathway that other Georgian produce may follow. For Uzbek importers, it adds another eligible origin, although actual trade will depend on prices, seasonal availability, logistics and compliance costs. The next material step will be the submission of technical files and completion of risk reviews for apples, peaches, nectarines and blueberries.