For Immediate Release
Press Release
May 25, 2023, Bokhtar City, Tajikistan – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored the Bactria Food 2023 Export Forum in Bokhtar City, which this year brought together more than 300 participants from the region and beyond. Co-hosted by the Khatlon regional government and the Export Development Agency of Tajikistan, the event promoted regional trade and connectivity across Central Asia and beyond.
At this year’s forum, horticulture producers and exporters of the Khatlon Region established contacts with buyers from Germany, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and other countries, facilitating the export of Tajik agricultural products. A Business-to-Government ‘Discussion Platform’ brought together public and private sector stakeholders, who exchanged ideas about overcoming impediments to exporting agricultural produce.
Speaking at the forum, U.S. Ambassador Manuel P. Micaller, Jr. noted that: “Now in its third year, Bactria Food continues to serve as a hub for creating and strengthening market linkages, as well as a platform for public-private dialogue. This forum series has already delivered substantial benefits to Tajikistan’s farmers and traders. Over the past two years, Bactria Food has facilitated the signing of contracts for Tajik horticulture producers worth several million dollars, enabling them to export their products.”
Agriculture constitutes the largest sector of Tajikistan’s economy. To support agribusinesses, USAID provides demand-driven assistance to agricultural associations, cooperatives, market integrators, and small and medium-sized enterprises, helping them take advantage of domestic, regional, and international market opportunities.
USAID has supported trade forums held in the Khatlon Region since 2018, facilitating the creation of new business for farmers. At the Bactria Food Forum in 2022, Tajik horticulture producers signed contracts worth more than $6 million, for exporting dried fruits, grapes, and onions to buyers in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates.
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USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a leading actor driving development results. For more information, visit the USAID Central Asia website: https://www.usaid.gov/central-asia-regional and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USAIDTajikistan/
