The strawberry market in Ukraine is changing – why the berry has started to become cheaper

Strawberries have become cheaper / Photo 24 Channel

The Ukrainian market has recorded the first noticeable drop in the price of garden strawberries from local farms. The reason was a sharp increase in the supply of the berry, while demand from buyers remains quite restrained.

Strawberry supply is growing rapidly, and wholesale prices have dropped in a few days

In Ukraine, prices for garden strawberries from local farms began to decline this week. As analysts from the EastFruit project note, the key factor was the active arrival of berries from producers in the western regions.

The situation has been further aggravated by the entry of products from the southern regions into the market. At the same time, demand is not showing the same growth, so sellers have to compete with each other for buyers.

Because of this, producers of perishable products are forced to gradually adjust price tags downwards in order to avoid losses and sell the harvest. As recently as the end of last week, farmers were in no hurry to sell greenhouse strawberries for less than 200-260 hryvnias per kilogram.

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However, the situation changed dramatically at the beginning of this week. After the start of the berry harvest in film greenhouses in the southern and western regions, wholesale prices decreased by about 14%.

Currently, strawberries are sold at 170-230 hryvnias per kilogram. In conditions of fierce competition, gardeners are forced to gradually reduce prices for the available volumes of perishable products.

Mass gathering still ahead

Experts point out that the current strawberry supply has not yet reached its maximum level. The main harvest season is expected to begin early next month.

This means that the market may receive even larger volumes of products, and therefore the price situation will continue to remain under pressure.

At the same time, even after the current price drop, Ukrainian strawberries remain significantly more expensive than last year. As of now, average prices for the berry are approximately 32% higher than in the same period last year.

The first cherries have ripened in Transcarpathia: how much does a berry cost this season?

Strawberries are a crop that grows quite well in a greenhouse, so you won't surprise anyone with early harvests. However, Ukrainian gardeners also grow very early cherries.

• The first cherries of the new season have begun to be harvested in Transcarpathia, although the yield was affected by spring frosts.

• Cherries prices in Ukraine range from 180 to 1,000 hryvnias per kilogram, depending on origin and quality.