Main points
- Buckwheat prices in Ukraine have increased sharply due to reduced stocks and farmers' reluctance to sell leftovers.
- A further decrease in prices is possible in the fall if farmers significantly increase the area sown and manage to harvest a good harvest in 2026.
What will happen to buckwheat / Photo Pixabay
Buckwheat prices are rising rapidly in Ukraine due to reduced stocks and farmers' reluctance to sell leftover produce. The further situation on the market will depend on the new harvest and the scale of the sowing campaign in 2026.
Buckwheat stocks are dwindling, and prices are rising rapidly
Buckwheat continues to rise in price on the Ukrainian market, reports “Economichna Pravda”. If in December 2025 the average retail price was about 44 hryvnias per kilogram, then in early May 2026 it had already reached about 75 hryvnias.
Experts explain this dynamics by the gradual reduction of stocks of previous harvests. According to Svitlana Lytvyn, head of the analytical department of the Ukrainian Agrarian Business Club association, there are fewer and fewer products left on the market, which is pushing prices up.
Industry associations are also warning about the risk of a shortage. A significant portion of marketable buckwheat is currently held by producers who are in no hurry to sell the leftovers, expecting more favorable prices after several unsuccessful seasons.
At the same time, experts do not predict a sharp jump in prices in the near future. In the summer, demand for buckwheat traditionally decreases, as consumers switch to seasonal vegetables, and the low purchasing power of the population further restrains the market.
A new crop could change the situation in the fall
The further price situation will largely depend on the volume of buckwheat sowings in 2026 and the future harvest. No significant reduction in product prices is expected until September due to limited transitional stocks.
High prices are already encouraging farmers to increase the area under the crop. Some producers plan to expand their crops several times compared to last year.
Estimates of the scale of the sowing campaign currently vary. Various forecasts indicate both a moderate increase in areas and a significant expansion – up to almost 70%.
Analysts believe that the scenario of a production reduction is unlikely. If farmers actively increase their crops, the first noticeable decline in buckwheat prices may begin after the arrival of the new harvest in the fall.
How much does buckwheat cost in stores now?
According to the Ministry of Finance, the following prices for buckwheat have currently been set in supermarkets of large chains:
- Metro 75 hryvnias per kilogram;
- Novus 73.89 hryvnias per kilogram;
- Megamarket 96.50 hryvnias per kilogram;
- Auchan 54.90 hryvnias per kilogram;
- ATB 75.30 hryvnias per kilogram;
Buckwheat price rises due to shortage: the Rada explained the reason for the increase in product prices
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Vegetable prices in Ukraine have decreased due to increased supply by farmers, while basic goods such as bread and sunflower oil are becoming more expensive.
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Bread prices are rising by an average of 1–2% each month, and the cost of sunflower oil has already exceeded 90 hryvnias for a bottle of less than one liter.
A separate situation has developed in the buckwheat market. Due to the reduction in sown areas , its supply has decreased . In addition, some traders have held onto stocks, which has created a shortage and caused prices to rise.