The company Uzun – Agro Star has implemented peach drying methods in Uzbekistan borrowed from Turkey and Japan, and has begun producing dried fruits, chips, and chocolate-coated products. This occurred as part of the agro-industrial complex established with the participation of Uzagrostar Holding.
The enterprise purchases peaches from local residents, processes them, and supplies the finished products to both domestic and international markets. Furthermore, the company conducts seminars for the local population, inviting foreign specialists to teach modern fruit drying methods.
The company's technologist, Altai Harata, who was born in Turkey, shared his experience in fruit processing, which amounts to about fifteen years. Before collaborating with Uzun – Agro Star, he worked in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Bulgaria.
According to the technology he described, the ripening and drying process for peaches takes approximately 40 days. The first twenty days the fruits are hung for drying, followed by a twenty-day conditioning period.
The company has also started producing chocolate-covered peaches. First, the dried fruit undergoes special treatment and is ground into a paste. Then, pistachios, walnuts, and other types of nuts are added to this mixture, after which the mass is placed in special molds. The finished products are then coated with white, milk, or dark chocolate.
Harata noted that this technology was applied for the first time in Uzbekistan based on Uzun – Agro Star, and the initial results were successful. In addition to fruit processing, the company trains local residents in skills such as growing, caring for seedlings, and drying peaches. With the support of Uzun – Agro Star, peach drying has now been organized in approximately 200 households across the country.
It is planned that the finished products will be supplied to both domestic and foreign markets.
