TOKYO, November 5. /Dunyo IA/. Uzbek dried fruits marketed under the “Gift from Silk Road” brand are now available at Japan’s Kintetsu Department Store retail chain, marking another step in expanding Uzbekistan’s agricultural exports to Japan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The expansion of exports has been supported by phytosanitary approvals allowing 72 types of Uzbek agricultural products to enter the Japanese market. As a result, Uzbekistan has become one of Japan’s five largest suppliers of prunes and one of its ten leading suppliers of raisins.

According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan, bilateral trade turnover increased by 64.1%, reaching 388.6 million U.S. dollars, creating new opportunities to promote Uzbek agricultural products in Japan.

In Osaka, representatives of the Embassy of Uzbekistan held a meeting with Kengo Sugie, CEO of Japanese trading company Kurosimo Inc. The discussions focused on increasing imports of Uzbek agricultural products, expanding export volumes and developing new joint projects.

Kengo Sugie noted that the company imports black raisins, almonds and walnuts from Uzbekistan, processes them in Japan and sells the products under the “Gift from Silk Road” brand.

The products are already available at Kintetsu Department Store, one of Japan’s major retail chains, where both the brand and Uzbek products are attracting interest among Japanese consumers.