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Imported vegetables will take up more shelf space in Russian stores

The share of imported produce in the Russian fresh fruit market has historically ranged between 70-80%, according to Irina Koziy, CEO of FruitNews.

"Many types of fruit don't grow in Russia—such as bananas and citrus—or are produced in minimal quantities due to harsh climate conditions and a lack of necessary technologies and materials. This applies to pears, grapes, cherries, peaches, nectarines, and apricots, which make up less than 10-15% of domestic consumption. The most notable exception is apples, where local producers supply 50-70% of the market, as well as plums, with a domestic share of 30-40%," Koziy explained.

Retail expert Mikhail Lachugin also highlighted the imbalance between domestic and imported produce.

"We cannot fully supply ourselves with bananas, oranges, or other fruits that don't naturally grow in Russia. However, local production has increased for carrots, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Still, we continue to import some tomatoes and cucumbers from CIS countries, potatoes from Egypt, citrus fruits from Africa and Asia, and small quantities of carrots and onions. While we produce a large portion of our vegetables domestically, there is no category where we are 100% self-sufficient," Lachugin stated.

Due to climate change and ongoing challenges in agriculture, the share of imported vegetables in Russian supermarkets is likely to grow.

"While climate conditions are becoming more favorable for agriculture, challenges remain—such as unpredictable frosts, limited access to farming equipment, and reliance on imported seeds. Domestic seed development takes 10–15 years, so in the short term, some categories of agricultural imports may continue to rise. However, the long-term goal should be to strengthen domestic production and reduce import dependence," Lachugin added.

Meanwhile, rising fuel and energy costs, increased leasing expenses for farm equipment, and a labor shortage have all contributed to higher vegetable prices in 2024. As a result, consumer demand has dropped, causing market contraction.

For greenhouse-grown vegetables, particularly tomatoes, imports from Turkey, Morocco, and Spain previously helped stabilize winter and spring prices. However, due to geopolitical factors, these imports have largely stopped, leading to higher prices and weakened demand.

Source: mskgazeta.ru

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