Main points
- In Kyiv supermarkets, Ukrainian new potatoes cost almost twice as much as those imported from Egypt, which has sparked discussion among buyers.
- The high cost of Ukrainian potatoes is explained by difficult production conditions, such as greenhouse cultivation and energy costs.
Why are Ukrainian potatoes more expensive / Photo Pixabay
New potatoes have appeared in the capital's supermarkets, but their prices have caused heated discussions among buyers. The domestic vegetable turned out to be almost twice as expensive as imports from Egypt.
Ukrainian new potatoes turned out to be significantly more expensive
In Kyiv supermarkets, buyers have noticed a significant difference in the prices of new potatoes, Glavkom reports. The imported product from Egypt is sold for approximately 38.99 hryvnias per kilogram, while Ukrainian new potatoes cost 79.99 hryvnias at a promotional price, and the regular price in some places reaches 114 hryvnias per kilogram.
This difference has become the subject of active discussions on social networks. Kyiv resident Oleksandr Retyvov drew attention to the contrast in cost and asked the question: “Why is this so?”.
The discussion quickly gained popularity, and users began to put forward different versions of the reasons for such a price gap.
High costs and different growing conditions
Some users explain the high cost of Ukrainian new potatoes by difficult production conditions. In particular, we are talking about greenhouse cultivation and significant energy costs.
One commentator noted that greenhouses operated on generators in the winter, which significantly increased the cost of production . At the same time, other participants in the discussion emphasized Egypt's climatic advantages.
According to users, vegetables are grown in more favorable conditions in the North African country, where the sunny season lasts almost all year round, and the harvest can be harvested several times. Some even questioned the Ukrainian origin of the expensive potatoes , suggesting that the “Ukraine” label could only mean the distributor.
Imports are growing, and scientists explain the difference in taste
Statistics show that Ukraine's dependence on imported potatoes remains significant. In 2025, the country purchased 123.6 thousand tons of potatoes abroad – more than twice as much as the year before. In monetary terms, imports increased 2.5 times and reached 66.3 million US dollars.
The largest suppliers were Poland, Egypt, and the Netherlands. However, Ukrainian potato exports remain insignificant – only 3.4 thousand tons of products were sent abroad per year.
Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Potato Growing of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Natalia Zakharchuk, explains that Egyptian potatoes traditionally belong to early products, and the difference between Ukrainian and European varieties lies not only in the ripening period.
Ukrainian selection is more focused on taste, while European selection is focused on productivity, appearance, and suitability for processing.
– the scientist notes.
That is why Ukrainian potatoes often better meet consumers' taste preferences, although their production may be more expensive and complicated.
Ukrainian cheese under pressure: what's happening with the market and imports
Ukrainian cheese is in a somewhat similar situation to potatoes. Domestic products also face tough competition from foreign ones.
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The Ukrainian cheese market remains stable, but faces challenges in the form of declining demand and competition from imported products.
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Imports of rennet cheeses decreased in April, but the total volume of imports since the beginning of the year exceeds last year's figures, which puts pressure on Ukrainian producers.
For Ukrainian cheesemakers, this trend remains a worrying signal. Producers fear that the significant presence of imported products will continue to hinder the recovery of sales and intensify competition for buyers.