In Ukraine, a trend of increasing apple prices has been observed, reports EastFruit project analysts. The positive trend is primarily linked to the seasonal reduction in the supply of autumn varieties, which are traditionally offered at a lower price than winter apple varieties.
Currently, Ukrainian orchardists are offering apples for sale at 15-22 UAH/kg ($0.36-0.53/kg), depending on the variety, quality, and batch volume, which is, on average, 23% higher than at the end of last week. Moreover, the newly established wholesale prices for apples in Ukraine have already reached the highest level in at least the last seven years!
Market participants explain the price increase in this segment by several factors. Firstly, it is facilitated by the reduction in the supply of autumn fruit varieties, which traditionally do not enjoy high demand. Furthermore, trading activity in this segment has noticeably increased due to the seasonal reduction in the range of fruits and berries from local producers, which also positively supports prices.
Additionally, it is worth noting that apples in Ukraine are now sold at an average of 36% more compared to early October 2023. With the onset of cold weather, most Ukrainian orchardists have decided to store the main volume of apples, significantly reducing the free market volume, which also supports the selling prices of these fruits.
When considering the situation in the domestic apple market compared to other countries in the project's monitoring region, Ukraine currently offers the most affordable prices for these fruits. This fact does not rule out the strengthening of positive price trends in this segment in the Ukrainian market.
Source: East Fruit