Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Ukraine could follow Chile in the success of its fresh produce business
“Twenty years ago a Chile was not a significant producer or supplier of fresh produce. Today, however, it is among the global leaders in exports of fresh fruits & vegetables despite distance of thousands of miles from the closest market. In the meanwhile distance from Ukraine to the world largest fresh produce buyers: EU and Russia equals zero kilometers” – these words were said at the opening ceremony of the Seventh International Conference Fruits & Vegetables of Ukraine 2010by the head of Fruit-Inform Andriy Yarmak.
“Ukraine could repeat the success of Chile by conquering the Russian market and then fresh produce market of the EU. Even today Ukraine has basically pushed Poland away from the European market of onions and in a mere 3-4 years period became third largest supplier of greenhouse tomatoes and fresh apples to Russia, and a significant player at the market of fresh cherries and watermelons”, continued Mr. Yarmak.
To achieve these goals Ukraine needs to continue accumulating knowledge and experience in the area of production, storage and PHH technologies and start worrying about international marketing of fresh produce today. According to Mr. Yarmak, revenue from fresh produce exports from Ukraine could exceed export revenues from grains and oilseeds in the longer run.