Inaugural FOODERA EXPO 2026 food industry exhibition opens in Samarkand
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Inaugural FOODERA EXPO 2026 food industry exhibition opens in Samarkand
FOODERA EXPO 2026, the first dedicated food and beverage exhibition in Samarkand, has begun at the SOF EXPO Samarkand exhibition complex.
The opening ceremony was attended by provincial and industry officials: Khurshidbek Samiev, deputy governor of Samarkand province and head of the provincial department of investment and foreign trade; Erkin Malikov, chairman of the Association of Exporters of Uzbekistan; Bahodir Umirshaykhov, chairman of the Food Industry Association of Uzbekistan; Khaydar Urakov, chairman of the Council of Entrepreneurs of Samarkand province; Nozir Ibragimov, the council’s deputy chairman; and Jamshed Urakov, adviser to the governor on local industry development. Representatives of diplomatic missions and embassies were also present.
The exhibition is being held from Oct. 27 to 29 and brings together producers, distributors, importers, suppliers and professional buyers. It provides a venue for product presentations, business meetings and discussions on new partnerships among food-sector companies.
On display are food and beverages, tea and coffee, confectionery and bakery products, dairy and meat items, frozen foods, semi-finished products, preserves, sauces and delicacies. In total, 87 companies and stands are participating, including enterprises from Samarkand province and companies from other countries in the region.
At the opening, Samiev stressed the exhibition’s significance for boosting local production and increasing exports. He said 1,311 food processing enterprises are operating in the province and 46 new projects in the sector were launched in the first nine months of 2026. The exhibition is expected to attract more than 3,000 professional visitors and produce contracts worth over $5 million.
“Developing the food industry today is impossible without direct dialogue between producers, suppliers, distributors and professional buyers. FOODERA EXPO creates space for exactly that kind of exchange: lively, professional and focused on concrete business contacts,” said Ahmad Tajibayev, director of the exhibition complex.
FOODERA EXPO is aimed at retail chains and wholesalers, buyers, producers, importers and distributors, as well as the restaurant and hotel sectors. Participants are able to showcase products to potential partners, assess market supply and demand, and discuss cooperation, supply and distribution terms.
During the three-day event, visitors can examine participants’ products, look into cooperation opportunities and establish new business contacts. Hosting FOODERA EXPO in Samarkand strengthens professional connections and creates additional opportunities for the development of the food industry in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.