March 15 2006, 09:46

Cucumber prices in Kiev declined twofold due to the recent sharp supply increase

Prices for greenhouse cucumbers have decreased down to US $1.1 per kg on wholesale market "Farmer" in Kiev. According to information Anatoliy Yarovoy, who is a price monitoring specialist of the Agricultural Marketing Project, cucumber prices ranged from US $1.1 to US $1.4 per kg today in the morning, and thus most of the cucumbers are traded at the prices of US $1.3-1.4 per kg. The gherkins are offered for US $2.0 per kg. There is a great offer of domestically grown cucumbers on the market. Sharp reduction in price, from US $2.0 down to US $1.3 per kg in less than a week is connected, in opinion of experts, with the sharp increase of cucumbers supply on the market.

Noteworthy, past year similar situation, when during the first two weeks of March prices of cucumbers dropped twofold, was observed. Later on, however, prices rose sharply again and reached the level of early March by mid April. Cucumber price fluctuations during this same period of time can be explained by poor planning and management practices of Ukrainian greenhouse producers.