Frosts hit fruit and vegetable trade in Russia and Ukraine

Significant fall of temperature caused delays in deliveries of fruits and vegetables to Russian and Ukrainian retail chains. Trade in outdoor markets is almost fully paralyzed.

Supermarkets' fruit and vegetable managers reported to Fruit-Inform of serious stoppages in deliveries of fruits and vegetables as well as of higher rejects percentage in lots due to produce having been damaged by frosts during transportation.

Many farmers stopped their sales till warming. It is too risky to open storehouses and storage clamps now. Moreover, many do not want to bear additional costs for logistics.

For the present, disruption of trade has not led to any price imbalance in the market. Nevertheless, some representatives of supermarket chains think that produce prices may grow by 5-10% by early February. However, managers are sure that even if an increase in prices is registered, produce will be growing in price only for a short period of time. When a thaw sets in, the supply of vegetables will increase, and prices will sink again.

Source: www.lol.org.ua