February 2 2012, 16:00 Fruit-Inform

Supply of cucumbers and tomatoes sharply decreases in Ukrainian retail chains

Currently being practically the only vegetable sales channel in Ukraine, retail chains refuse to purchase large wholesale lots of cucumbers and tomatoes. Such a policy is adhered by retailers due to a high percentage of rejects in supplied lots and lower demand for this produce because of a sharp fall of temperature in Ukraine this week.

Importers say that an increase in prices is a forced step which will have grave consequences for sellers. Due to severe frosts, transport costs jumped by 25-30%. Many transport companies refuse to carry vegetables at all. Importers put increased costs into account when pricing their products, therefore, as of today, cucumber prices increased to UAH 25-30/kg (EUR 2.38-2.85/kg), and tomato prices grew to UAH 18-20/kg (EUR 1.71-1.90/kg) that has a very negative impact on trade.

A decrease in cucumber supply and even its full absence in Kiev supermarkets are confirmed by Fruit-Inform experts monitoring Ukrainian supermarkets’ fresh produce departments. The monitoring results will be presented for the participants of the 4th International Conference “Potatoes and Vegetables of Ukraine – 2012”.

The event will be held at President Hotel, Kiev, Ukraine, February 16-17, 2012, and is supported by Ukrainian Association of Potato Producers and Ukrainian Association of Wholesale Markets. The conference will be attended by the biggest vegetable and potato producers, suppliers of seeds, machinery, equipment, the largest purchasers of produce and companies interested in investing in the Ukrainian vegetable and potato business.

To join them, please, fill out an application form.