The rapid growth of Turkmenistan’s greenhouse industry, particularly its focus on cultivating tomatoes fueled by affordable natural gas. We previously discussed the potential doubling of greenhouse tomato cultivation in the country and Turkmenistan’s active push to dominate the regional greenhouse vegetable market, displacing Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan, once the major greenhouse vegetable exporter, faces challenges with natural gas supply to its greenhouses, leading to a reduction in production.
Recent information suggests that during the peak greenhouse season, tomatoes from Turkmenistan not only compete with Uzbek tomatoes in international markets but are also entering the domestic market of Uzbekistan. While there’s no official confirmation, industry sources support this claim.
It’s not surprising that Turkmenistan exports greenhouse tomatoes to Uzbekistan, considering the record-high wholesale prices in Uzbekistan, surpassing $2 USD per kg. These prices are 40% higher than the previous year and double the usual levels for this time of the year.
Remarkably, wholesale prices for greenhouse tomatoes in Uzbekistan now exceed those in Russia, a country typically exporting tomatoes in winter. This makes Turkmen tomatoes highly competitive in the Uzbek market.
Recall that in May 2023, Turkmenistan’s tomatoes successfully debuted in the Tajikistan market, attracting customers with their appealing appearance, high-quality packaging, and competitive pricing.
