In 2024, Egypt and Morocco strengthened their positions as key suppliers of fresh berries to Central Asia, driven by growing demand in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Egypt has consolidated its lead in Kazakhstan's strawberry market, while Morocco has become the main direct exporter of fresh blueberries to Uzbekistan.
According to EastFruit, this trend is underpinned by robust economic growth. The IMF projects GDP growth of 5% for Kazakhstan and 6.5% for Uzbekistan in 2023–2024. These figures make both countries attractive export destinations amid sluggish consumption in more traditional markets. While import volumes remain modest compared to larger markets, rising demand and low saturation present early-mover advantages.
Egypt's presence in Kazakhstan's strawberry market has expanded rapidly. In the 2024/25 marketing year (July–June), the country exported 1,500 tonnes of strawberries to Kazakhstan between July 2024 and April 2025—up 7% from the previous year and more than five times the 2022/23 volume. This growth has come at the expense of Türkiye, which has faced delayed shipments and a projected 4% decline in strawberry production in 2025. Prices in Türkiye have also risen 40% year-on-year, despite a weakening lira, according to EastFruit data.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan imported a record 310 tonnes of fresh blueberries in 2024. Although Kazakhstan remained the largest overall supplier, primarily via re-exports, Morocco led in direct exports. Shipments from Morocco continued into early 2025, reflecting strong demand. Analyst Yevhen Kuzin of EastFruit noted that actual blueberry consumption may be even higher than reported, as some imports go unrecorded. With Uzbekistan's economy expected to grow by 5.8% annually through 2030, demand for imported fruits, particularly berries, is likely to continue rising.
Efforts to expand North African berry exports to Central Asia are also supported by a joint FAO–EBRD project aimed at diversifying trade destinations. A key step in this initiative was a trade mission to Tashkent in May 2024, helping to solidify Egypt and Morocco's foothold in these emerging markets.
Source: EastFruit