Scaling Up Sustainable Fruit Processing in the Fergana Valley with GEFF

GENEROUS VALLEY TRADING LLC, established in 2012 in Margilan, Fergana region, specializes in the processing and canning of fruits and vegetables. In response to the growing demand for dried fruits like apricots and plums, the company decided to expand its production capacity by investing in modern processing technologies.

With support from the GEFF programme in Uzbekistan, the company invested $620,000 in a new fruit drying linesupplied by Bigtem Makine End A.S. (Turkey). A loan of $147,220 was provided through JSCB “Uzpromstroybank”, along with free technical support from GEFF engineers. The new production line includes advanced machines such as conveyors, blanchers, washers, vibrating decks, and metal detectors, with a capacity of 1,000 kg/hour.

The upgrade has resulted in remarkable efficiency gains. The specific primary energy consumption per tonne of dried fruit has decreased by 21%, saving 9,122 GJ of energy annually and cutting CO₂ emissions by 471 tonnes per year. The investment is expected to generate an additional $288,000 in annual revenue, with a payback period of just 1.3 years when both energy and financial savings are considered.

By expanding production and improving energy efficiency, GENEROUS VALLEY TRADING LLC is contributing to the development of a sustainable agrifood sector in Uzbekistan, while strengthening its competitiveness in the growing dried fruit market.

The Green Economy Financing Facility in Uzbekistan (GEFF II in Uzbekistan), which supported this investment, was developed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and is backed by Canada through the EBRD’s High-Impact Partnership on Climate Action, the Climate Investment Funds, and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund.