Quality, Innovation, and Export: Meeting of Berry Producers in Kyrgyzstan

On January 6, Sherzod Abdurakhmanov, Capacity Building and Training Expert for the Value Chain Agro Finance project, participated in a training session organized by the Kyrgyzstan Berry Growers Association. The key topics of the meeting were product quality, innovation, and export.

The training brought together farmers, professional agronomists, processors, and exporters.

In the first part of the session, exporters shared their experiences from 2024 and discussed the challenges they faced. As a result of the discussion, the participants managed to discover solutions and effective measures to the problems concerning the quality of berries harvesting and conservation.

Sherzod Abdurakhmanov emphasized the importance of proper post-harvest handling:
“Quality starts at the field level. By implementing best practices in harvesting and storage, farmers can significantly reduce losses and increase the competitiveness of their products in export markets.”

Following the discussion, agronomists conducted a training session, presenting innovative strawberry cultivation techniques aimed at improving both yield and quality.

One of the participating farmers shared their perspective:
“This training gave us practical solutions for improving our harvest. We now understand how small changes in handling can make a big difference in quality and shelf life.”

Such meetings play a crucial role in strengthening the sector and expanding export opportunities.