Main points
- Chinese garlic occupies 80% of the Ukrainian market, while domestic products occupy only 20% due to rising costs and consumer orientation towards lower prices.
- Imports from China are cheaper, forcing producers to reduce garlic cultivation, and overproduction on the world market could make the situation even worse.
Chinese garlic / Photo Unsplash
Chinese garlic currently occupies about 80 percent of the Ukrainian market, while the share of domestic products is only 20 percent. The main reason for this situation is the increase in production costs and consumer orientation primarily towards a lower price.
The Chinese have captured the garlic market in Ukraine
The President of the Association of Garlic Producers of Ukraine, Yulianna Moussa, said that the Ukrainian garlic market is dominated by imported products, in particular from China. According to industry experts, about 80 percent of sales are accounted for by Chinese garlic, while Ukrainian products occupy about 20 percent of the market, AgroPortal.ua reports.
According to her, garlic production is becoming more expensive every year, while world prices for this product remain relatively stable. In such conditions, imports, especially from China, are often cheaper, and consumers usually choose a product based on price, not country of origin.
Pay attention! The expert warns that if current trends continue, the garlic growing industry may decline not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe as a whole. Producers in European countries are already facing a situation where the cost of production is actually equal to the selling price. They are partially helped to maintain their market position by state support programs that allow them to remain on supermarket shelves.
If manufacturers lose their place in retail, it will be much more difficult to return to the market. In this case, imported products, primarily Chinese, may further strengthen their position.
In addition, global garlic overproduction is already predicted for 2026. According to Moussa, a number of countries, including Egypt, India, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and the United States, are gradually increasing the area under this crop, while consumption levels are not growing at the same pace.
Important! In this regard, the expert urged Ukrainians to choose domestically produced products more often, as this can help maintain the industry at least at its current level.
Imported apples are displacing Ukrainian ones: for the first time in 8 years, the balance became negative
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In 2025, Ukraine recorded a negative apple trade balance for the first time in 8 years, when imports exceeded exports.
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Exports amounted to 14,500 tons for $8.4 million, while imports reached 22,600 tons for $27.8 million, with imported apples costing three times more.