Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Ukrainian apricot campaign kicks off
Growers from the southern regions and western regions of Ukraine have started offering their first volumes of apricots, according to Fruit-Inform.
This year the Ukrainian apricot campaign started averagely 7-10 days later than in 2019 due to unfavorable weather conditions during the ripening stage in main producing regions.
Current prices fixed by growers from the southern and western regions are averagely 15% higher year-on-year and vary between UAH 20-30/kg ($0,75-1,12/kg). For comparison, in 2019 the domestic apricot season started with prices not exceeding UAH 25/kg.
Ukrainian market players link a year-on-year rise in prices to lower apricot yields due to spring frosts. This year fruit orchards started blossoming averagely 2 weeks earlier than usual thanks to warm and sunny weather in spring. Therefore, a cold spell in April and May were a disaster for stone fruit crops, with some growers reporting a full loss of their harvest, inclusive of apricots.