March 30 2006, 15:37

This year the demand for transplants considerably exceeds supply in Ukraine

According to the information of the market monitoring specialists provided to "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits weekly journal of the produce business, this year the demand for tomato and other vegetables transplants exceeds the supply significantly. Ukrainian farmers and large agricultural enterprises became much more interested in vegetable production after the significant losses of grain crops production observed past year. According to the preliminary data of the survey carried out by the Agricultural Marketing Project, in 2006 more than 25% producers will be involved in vegetable, fruit and berry growing business for the first time. That's why the demand for vegetable seeds, fruit and berry transplants and seedlings has grown so much.

Ukrainian producers point out the difficulties to buy quality transplants in the country. Not all transplants producers are able to offer the planting material of the needed vegetable variety. Farmers have also great concerns about the optimal delivery terms, as well as the quality and, of course, transplants' price. Besides, all the regions hardly have local producers of quality transplants, that's why the majority of farmers prefer to produce transplants independently. Having an intensive vegetable production on a large acreage, the farmers have to apply transplants method and purchase planting materials from the specialized enterprises, such as greenhouse farms and enterprises.

According to the evaluations of the Agricultural Marketing Project, the volume of Ukrainian vegetable transplants market can reach $ 5 mln. in 2006; it will increase minimum 23-25% a year in the future.