Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Ukraine: abolition of duty on melon and watermelon exports to EU to open new opportunities for Ukrainian growers
The duty on exports of melons and watermelons from Ukraine to the EU has been abolished on April 23 this year that gives Ukraine a chance to expand its presence in the EU market, according to Fruit-Inform.
Ukraine's watermelon exports are significantly higher than melon ones with the EU being the largest export market for those products.
«Ukrainian watermelons are rather popular in the EU fruit and berry market», says Ms. Tetiana Getman, Head of Fruit-Inform. «Melons and watermelons are the only fresh fruit and vegetable category that has a positive balance in the Ukraine-EU trade. Ukraine annually imports no higher than 300 tons of European watermelons, while Ukraine's exports to the EU total 15,000-25,000 tons per annum. The EU usually accounts for the share of 55-70% in Ukraine's total melon and watermelon exports».
Among the EU countries, we may mention the Baltic States as key target markets for Ukrainian watermelons: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Poland with the share of 16% in 2013 also actively buys watermelons from Ukraine.
«We have to clearly understand that Ukrainian farmers now have no advantages over European competitors, except inexpensive workforce. However, this advantage has been losing its competitive power year by year», comments Ms. Getman. «Thus, the Ukrainian industry should seek export potential in those products which production process are difficult to be mechanized».
We would remind you that the duty on exports of melons and watermelons from Ukraine to the EU countries has formerly amounted to 8.8%.