April 11 2012, 11:23 Fruit-Inform

Millions of tonnes of vegetables and potatoes to be dumped in Ukraine

According to Fruit-Inform, having not managed to sell produce at acceptable prices, farmers started actively dumping potatoes and vegetables in Ukraine. A number of farms taking drastic measures is gathering like a snowball. Produce in unequipped storage gets spoilt rapidly, costs keep on growing, while prices continue to fall despite closer end of the season.

Only last week, traditional vegetables (onions, white cabbages, red beets, carrots) and potatoes fell in price by almost 10%. According to producers, prices of traditional vegetables and potatoes are averagely half as high as production costs. The situation is even worse when taking into account storage costs. Moreover, it is impossible to sell produce of worsened quality at prices two thirds or even three fourths below cost, as the supply is abundant in the market. Some farmers offer their potatoes and vegetables for nothing, as they are not interested in bearing additional storage costs. Nevertheless, only few purchasers are willing to take produce for free.

Producers with equipped storage facilities still hope to sell available stocks of high-quality vegetables, but almost none of them say of prospects of higher prices, as early vegetables are already available in the market.

We would remind you that Ukrainian fruit and vegetable production and price forecast for the next season is available in the fundamental study “Fruit & Vegetable Market of Ukraine – 2012: Results and Forecasts for the Next Season”.

The study can be ordered at International Relations Department of Fruit-Inform:

Mr. Ievgen Kuzin

phone: +380 (562) 321595, ext. - 341

cell: +380 96 5836323

email: [email protected].