February 8 2006, 09:28

Vegetable prices are twice-thrice higher than past year in Poland

According to the information of the "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" weekly journal of Ukrainian produce business, Polish traders continue informing about the peak wholesale prices on vegetables observed this year in the country. Cabbage and onion wholesale prices have exceeded the past year level nearly thrice; still the prices on the mentioned products are still significantly lower than in Ukraine.

The Poles are also surprised by potato prices reaching $0.27-0.3/kg that is a top record price on this commodity. The recent price growth was determined both by low temperatures and by increase of illegal supplies to Ukrainian market where the price on these commodities is significantly higher. The legal supplies are complicated by high import tax. It is worth mentioning that the supplies of early potato from Northern Africa to Ukraine can be quite competitive as the decreased seasonal import tax is in force now. Early potato is harvested now in Egypt and some other countries.

In the whole, the prices on all major vegetables (except greenhouse produce) are significantly higher on Polish market compared to the previous year and significantly lower than the vegetable prices observed in Ukraine now. At the same time, the legal supply is still limited by high import tax in Ukraine. Frosts injured much the root crops and cabbage stored by Ukrainian producers and wholesalers, it is problematic to purchase these products even on high prices in the country. For example, there was no carrot today even on Kyiv wholesale market.

By the way, "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal will publish in the next issues the production and price forecast for the main vegetables in 2006. The first to come out will be the production forecast for early, medium and late white cabbage, and other cabbage varieties, according to the poll results carried out among the producers of the main production regions of Ukraine.