China and Uzbekistan Sign Watermelon Export Protocol to China; 38 Types of Fruits and Vegetables Already Approved for Export to China; 7 Categories Including Apples and Pears Awaiting Market Access

From September 15 to 17, Sun Meijun, Director of the General Administration of Customs, led a delegation to visit Uzbekistan. During the visit, the two sides officially signed the "Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Fresh Watermelons from Uzbekistan to China" and the "Work Plan on Electronic Certification," giving Uzbek fresh watermelons the "pass" to enter the Chinese market.

In recent years, China-Uzbekistan trade in agricultural products has continued to heat up. At present, 38 types of fruit and vegetable products from Uzbekistan have been approved for export to China with phytosanitary certificates. In 2025, melons, almonds and dried cherries were the first to join the list of exports to China; in 2026, the scope of access was further expanded, with dried garlic, onions, beets, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, pumpkins, eggplants, zucchini and leafy vegetables successively approved. In terms of fresh fruit, Uzbek cherries, melons, pomegranates, lemons, grapes, as well as stone fruits such as nectarines, plums and apricots, have all been granted access to China.

Customs statistics show that in 2025 Uzbekistan exported a total of 193,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetable products to China, with a value of about 210 million US dollars. The Chinese market has become one of the most important overseas markets for Uzbek fruits and vegetables.

It is understood that during the visit the two sides also held in-depth consultations on accelerating the phytosanitary approval process. In the next stage, 7 categories of products including apples, pears, onions, persimmons, dried figs, millet and sunflower seeds are expected to complete quarantine access one after another, further enriching the choice of Central Asian fruits and vegetables on the tables of Chinese consumers.