Sector selection - Kyrgyzstan

Assessment of select horticultural sectors in Kyrgyzstan, and their market access potential

Short description

In Kyrgyzstan, the Lab collaborated with UNIDO’s Global Quality Standards Programme to identify sub-sectors and products with the best potential for market development via export promotion, particularly for MSMEs. The research intended to inform the design of UNIDO’s GQSP project in Kyrgyzstan to increase its prospects for having more targeted and systemic impact.

For this purpose, a rapid market assessment looked at several horticultural products in three oblasts: Osh, Jalal-Abad and Issyk-Kul. Overall, apples and apricots were found to hold greater potential than other sub-sectors, with the exception of apricots scoring slightly lower than potatoes in Osh. As the two sub-sectors share many of the same market players, the project could easily design interventions that support the development of both apples and apricots – which may also have positive externalities across other orchard fruits as well. Berry products and medicinal herbs have the potential to serve smaller niche markets, but significant investment will be needed to develop the market and establish buyer relationships.