Abkhazia, a subtropical region on the Black Sea coast of the South Caucasus, is known for its fragrant and flavorful tangerines. However, despite favorable growing conditions, a significant share of the harvest never leaves the orchards. Export to Russia, traditionally the main market, has become economically unviable due to several challenges.
In Soviet times, citrus fruits were often picked by students and schoolchildren as part of seasonal work campaigns. Today, growers must hire laborers, which is significantly more expensive. Once harvesting, post-harvest treatment, transport, and customs paperwork are factored in, the final price becomes less competitive compared to imports from Morocco, Turkey, or China.
Many orchards lack formal land titles and the necessary sanitary and phytosanitary certificates. Without these documents, large wholesale buyers in Russia cannot accept the fruit for legal distribution. This leaves many smaller growers cut off from formal export channels.
Moving fruit across the border involves customs duties, lengthy inspections, and delays. A kilogram of tangerines that costs around 50 rubles (about €0.50) in Abkhazia could end up three to four times more expensive on Russian supermarket shelves, making them difficult to sell at scale.
At present, individual travelers can only bring up to five kilograms of tangerines across the border for personal use, a regulation that does nothing to address the challenge of large-scale trade.
As a result, thousands of trees are left unharvested each season, while Russian retail chains fill their shelves with fruit from countries that have streamlined production and logistics.
Trade expert Oleg Gromov explains: "Abkhazian tangerines are of high quality and could find their niche in the market, but a complex mix of economic, legal, and logistical barriers prevents them from competing with established suppliers."
Source: gorodkirov.ru
