Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
"Supermarketization" of Zakarpattya oblast has started - "Velyka Kyshenya" chain enters the market following the "Silpo" chain
According to the information provided by "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal, national supermarket chains have finally begun to enter Zakarpattya market. First store of "Silpo" supermarket chain was opened about a month ago in Uzhgorod; the management at once announced the plans to open next store mid April 2006.
According to the information provided by Lyudmila Dzyamko, the Market Information Specialist of the Agricultural Marketing Project, now "Velyka Kyshenya" supermarket chain plans to hit the market. The first store is planned to be opened in the premises of the former "Kontinent" supermarket. Only three supermarkets worked in Uzhgorod in the beginning of this year; now they are five, and this number can grow up to nine by the end of year. In other large oblast towns, such as Mukachevo and Beregovo, the entrepreneurs are actively opening supermarkets of more than 1000 m2 trading area.
To Lyudmila Dzyamko's opinion, the geographical location of Zakarpattya oblast stimulated the number of supermarkets to increase. The oblast borders with four Central European countries: Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. The prices on the majority products are significantly higher in these countries than in Ukraine, it stimulates border trade much. Crowds of Slovaks and Hungarians come to the regional supermarkets on weekends. As a result of a great demand from the side of the foreign tourists the local food stuff prices sometimes exceed the prices in the capital of Ukraine.
At the same time, the development of trading chains, a considerable demand on food products expand the opportunities for the professional produce growers. Some of them have already started to adjust their production practices to supermarkets' requirements. Due to this the producers are able to get higher price and occupy a stable and perspective sales channel for their vegetables, fruits and berries.