Uzbekistan's agricultural sector has been hit by severe cold weather in January, leading to the destruction of onion stocks and white cabbage crop, as well as a delay in potato planting. The potato planting in the southern region of Surkhandarya started three weeks later than last year, resulting in a delayed harvest and an increased import volume in the first half of 2023. Potato imports have been on the rise since 2017, peaking at 547.2 thousand tons in 2021. However, imports decreased by 2.7% in 2022. Wholesale prices for last year's potatoes, which had surged due to the cold weather, have now returned to their previous levels.