Onion prices surge tenfold in Uzbekistan as farmlands shrink and supply declines

By the end of March, farmers in Surkhandarya region began harvesting early autumn onions. The crop has since appeared in local and neighboring markets. However, unlike previous years, this season has seen onion prices reach record highs, EastFruit reported.

The first batches of the new harvest were sold by farmers at an average price of 5,000 UZS (around 39 cents) per kilogram. Retail prices in markets have climbed to 7,000–8,000 UZS (approximately 54–62 cents).

Ormonali Usmonov, head of the consulting firm VESAGRO, commented on the situation in Uzbekistan's onion market:

"In the second half of March 2025, farmers in several districts of Surkhandarya (Jarkurgan, Kumkurgan, and Sherabad) began harvesting early onions. However, the maturity level of the onions is not yet suitable for long-distance transportation. As the saying goes, the onions are not yet ‘dressed’. Therefore, the product is currently being sold primarily in Surkhandarya and neighboring regions. Nevertheless, farmers are very pleased with the prices this season. At the same time last year, newly harvested onions were sold at around 500 UZS (4 cents) per kilogram in the fields, whereas this year starting prices are ten times higher,” said Usmonov.

According to the expert, the main reason for the price surge is a significant reduction in the area dedicated to onion cultivation.

“In the third ten-day period of March, harvesting of autumn onions planted in August–September of the previous year began. Based on my estimates, the total area of autumn onion fields across Uzbekistan has decreased by 30–40 percent. I believe a similar trend is being observed in neighboring countries as well. As for yield and ripening time, the late autumn and winter of 2024 were mild, without abnormal frosts, so weather conditions were favorable. Yields remained on par with last year, and ripening times were unchanged. However, the onions are still not fully mature and need time to reach market-ready quality. I expect marketable and export-worthy volumes will start appearing in local markets between April 15–20, 2025,” he added.

It was also emphasized that the price of new onions is influenced by the stock levels of last year’s harvest—specifically, how quickly those stocks are depleted and the level of demand in foreign markets.

"Onion prices expected to decrease"

The Ministry of Agriculture has issued an official statement regarding reports of rising onion prices.

It explained that the current price hike is a consequence of onion prices falling to as low as 500–1,000 UZS per kilogram during May–June 2024. As a result, onion cultivation areas were reduced in various regions in 2025. For example, Jizzakh planted 5,000 fewer hectares, Navoi 6,700 fewer, Namangan 8,400 fewer, Samarkand 14,000 fewer, Surkhandarya 2,600 fewer, Syrdarya 2,800 fewer, Tashkent 2,600 fewer, and Khorezm 7,600 fewer hectares of onions.

“Despite this, a total of 1.412 million tons of onions are expected to be harvested across the country this year, which is 12,000 tons more than in 2024,” the Ministry noted.

As of April 1, 2024, the price of new onions was 5,000–6,000 UZS per kilogram, dropping to 3,000–3,500 UZS by April 7. On April 1, 2025, the price had reached 7,000–8,000 UZS but has since declined to 4,000–5,000 UZS.

In addition, 75,000 tons of onions from the 2024 harvest have been supplied from storage to the domestic market, with another 46,000 tons being sold at 2,000–3,000 UZS per kilogram.

Depending on the ripening period, onion prices are expected to drop to 2,000–2,500 UZS after April 15. Moreover, between the second and third ten-day periods of April, more than 70,000 tons are expected to ripen, with an additional 90,000 tons anticipated in May.

The Ministry also reminded that in every season, prices tend to rise in the early stages of agricultural crop harvesting, noting that this is a temporary trend and is expected to adjust soon.

“It’s no secret that in some regions, farmers are using innovative agrotechnical methods that require more investment, allowing them to harvest and bring produce to market 10–15 days earlier than usual,” the statement added.

For reference, Uzbekistan is the largest onion exporter in Central Asia. In 2024, the country exported 354,800 tons of onions worth $76.3 million – an increase of 19.2 percent compared to 2023.