Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Samarkand will host the international conference and General Assembly of the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) in 2027.
Uzbekistan will host these events for the first time in its history, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.
On 6 November in the Chinese city of Tianjin, WUWM President Stéphane Layani formally handed the organisation’s flag to Sherzod Ibragimov, Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.
The World Union of Wholesale Markets brings together around 220 members from more than 40 countries across five continents. They include wholesale markets, national industry associations and companies. According to the organisation, its members handle almost half of the global volume of fresh fruit and vegetables consumed worldwide.
WUWM also cooperates under memorandums of understanding with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
In previous years, the organisation’s conferences have been held in Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg, Brussels, Rimini, Bangkok, Cancun and Tianjin. Samarkand will join the list in 2027.
Uzbekistan was selected as the host country because of its agricultural potential. The country produces more than 23 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables annually. In 2025, exports of these products totalled 2.2 million tonnes, worth US$2.1 billion. Export volumes increased by 36.9% year on year. Uzbek fresh produce is currently supplied to 73 countries.
According to FAO data, Uzbekistan ranks second in the world in apricot production.
The conference programme includes plenary sessions, the WUWM General Assembly, technical visits to wholesale markets, orchards and agricultural logistics centres, as well as business meetings with local exporters.
The event’s organisation in Uzbekistan is stipulated by Presidential Resolution No. PP-146 dated 1 April 2024.
