Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Ukraine: Crimea may lose its fruit and vegetable sector
Tense situation in Crimea occupied by Russian army may seriously harm the fruit and vegetable sector on the peninsula. Crimean growers almost fully depend on water, which supply issue from other Ukrainian regions has not been solved yet and is not under discussion for the present.
Despite weather conditions in Crimea being favorable for potato and vegetable planting campaign, Crimean farmers do not hurry with that. In addition to probable lack of water for irrigation, which may result in full crop failure, farmers see no opportunities to sell their products in future. For that reason, many of them will most likely have minimal planted areas to reduce their risks.
“For the present, we face serious problems with planning vegetable planting campaign, especially areas under early vegetables”, says a farmer from Crimea. “Of course, we will plant at our own risk. But all our efforts will be lost if water supply is limited. As a result, Crimean farmers will simply not be able to work in future”.
Unlike vegetable growers, fruit and grape producers have no choice, therefore they conduct routine operations in orchards and vineyards. However, they fear losing the most part of or even full harvest in case of fresh water closure. If fresh water is supplied, sales of products, previously shipped to supermarket chains and wholesale markets in all Ukrainian regions, will also be under serious question. As a rule, Crimean fruits are uncompetitive in Russia, needless to say about new logistical realities.
Moreover, new intensive orchards and vineyards raise fears too, as they may simply be lost without water. As each hectare of setting out such an orchard costs $25,000-40,000, losses for the full Crimean sector may be tremendous.