Analysts Eastfruit draw attention to the fact that by the end of 2021, Iran is likely to be among the top five exporters of marketable potatoes in the world. Export volumes of potatoes from Iran in 2021 increased by 16% and reached a record 855 thousand tons.
At the same time, there are six countries of the post-Soviet space among the largest markets for Iranian potatoes: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine! From 14th to 19th place are occupied by five more countries of this region, namely: Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova. Moreover, it was the sharp increase in the supply of potatoes to the countries of the post-Soviet space that provided Iran with a record volume of potato exports in 2021. After all, other major importers, as a rule, reduced their purchases of potatoes in Iran: Afghanistan reduced imports by 17%, and Iraq more than doubled.
Deliveries of Iranian potatoes to Uzbekistan increased by almost 37 times over the year, to Russia - by 20 times, to Ukraine by almost 100 times. Azerbaijan was, as usual, the largest market for Iranian potatoes of all post-Soviet countries (167 thousand tons), but traders believe that this was an import of potatoes by Azerbaijan for its subsequent re-export to Russia. Even so, deliveries to Azerbaijan grew by 73% over the year. Uzbekistan bought 146 tons of potatoes from Iran in a year. Iranian potato shipments to Turkmenistan more than doubled in a year to an impressive 77 tons.
Note that in addition to Iran, Pakistan is also actively increasing supplies to Eastern Europe and the countries of Central Asia. This season, by the way, winter potatoes in Pakistan ripened earlier, than usual.