March 23 2006, 11:46

Wholesale prices for some vegetables in March of 2006 are three times as high as in March of 2005

The comparative analysis of wholesale vegetables prices in different regions of Ukraine, carried out by the weekly journal "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits", shows a substantial growth of the vegetables prices in wholesale trade in comparison with the similar period of the past year.

Cabbage is much more expensively this year. If a year ago the price was close to US $0.3 per kg but this year it never falls below US $0.4 per kg. However, the average wholesale price of cabbage has grown not so considerably - from US $0.42 to $US 0.46 per kg.

Past week cucumber prices reached US $1.29-1.58 per kg, and a year ago the corresponding range was US $1.0-1.2 per kg. Wholesale prices of potatoes have grown very sharply, making a different of around 200%. In the middle of March 2005 potatoes were sold on the wholesale market for US $0.12-0.16 per kg, but this year average price of this produce has gone up to US $0.40-0.55 per kg. In the majority of regions potato prices are at the level of US $0.44-0.55 per kg.

Red beet and carrot prices have also grown 200-250% on a year. Average table beet prices in March 2005 were close to US $0.12-0.18 per kg but have gone up to US $0.34-0.44 per kg this year. Carrot prices have grown even more sharply. The average carrot price, which a year ago was close to US $0.14 per kg, has reached US $0.6 per kg in March of 2006. In some regions of Ukraine carrot prices are as US $0.69 per kg.

Average wholesale prices of onions have increased 70% on a year from US $ 0.26 to US $0.44 per kg. At the same time, domestic stocks of onions this year are still pretty high, which has already provided a significant pressure on the domestic onion prices.