Arabfields, Cherifa Brahmi, Correspondent, Seoul, South Korea — Jeju tangerines are set to reach Uzbekistan for the first time this November, opening a new market for one of South Korea’s best known citrus products as producers look toward Central Asia for fresh export opportunities.

The first shipments will be directed mainly to Tashkent, where Jeju City Agricultural Cooperative plans to work with local retail partners to test consumer demand and build a distribution network. The move follows the conclusion of the necessary quarantine arrangements, removing a major barrier to trade between the two markets.

For farmers on Jeju, the opening of the Uzbek market offers more than another destination for their fruit. It represents a chance to reduce reliance on established overseas markets and create new demand for premium citrus.

“Jeju tangerines have the potential to become more competitive in Central Asian markets,” said Jeju City Agricultural Cooperative chairman Ko Bong-joo, who has called for continued efforts to expand overseas sales and strengthen distribution channels.

The timing is significant. Uzbekistan’s appetite for imported and traded agricultural products has been expanding rapidly. In the first four months of 2026, the country exported 489,500 tons of fruit and vegetable products worth $454.5 million, with the volume up 5.6 percent from the same period a year earlier. Fruit and berries accounted for 86,600 tons of that total.

Uzbekistan’s broader trade figures also point to a growing food market. Exports of food and live animals reached $753 million during January through April 2026, up 13.7 percent from the same period in 2025. Food products represented 7.5 percent of the country’s exports during the period, compared with 5.5 percent a year earlier.

The figures suggest that Jeju’s entry is taking place in a market where agricultural trade is already gaining momentum. Uzbekistan exported about 16.8 thousand tons of cherries worth $36.5 million in the first five months of 2026, demonstrating the importance of fruit in its international agricultural trade.

For Korean exporters, however, the challenge will be turning initial interest into repeat purchases. Tangerines are a seasonal product, and maintaining freshness, competitive pricing and reliable logistics will be essential if Jeju producers want to establish a lasting presence.

The first shipments are therefore expected to serve as a practical test of the market. Retailers will be watching how Uzbek consumers respond to the fruit, while Korean exporters will be assessing demand, packaging preferences and distribution costs.

If the initial launch performs well, the strategy could extend beyond tangerines. Jeju City Agricultural Cooperative has indicated that it intends to study local consumer preferences and identify additional Jeju agricultural products that could be introduced to Uzbekistan.

That could eventually turn Tashkent into a wider entry point for Jeju produce across Central Asia. Uzbekistan already maintains strong commercial links with Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and other regional markets, giving exporters access to a trading environment with established cross-border networks.

The outlook for Jeju citrus in Uzbekistan remains uncertain, but the underlying numbers provide a reason for optimism. If Uzbekistan’s fruit and vegetable trade continues growing at anything close to its 2026 pace, demand for differentiated imported produce is likely to increase alongside it.

A reasonable near-term scenario is for Jeju exporters to focus first on establishing a reliable customer base in Tashkent before expanding to other Uzbek cities. If repeat orders follow the November launch, additional Jeju products could enter the market over the next few years, gradually transforming a first shipment of tangerines into a broader agricultural trade relationship.

For the farmers preparing their fruit on Jeju, that future will begin with a relatively simple test: whether consumers thousands of kilometers away decide that the island’s tangerines are worth buying again.