April 13 2006, 16:47

Early potato is thrice cheaper this spring than in 2005 in Ukraine

According to the information provided to "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal by the Price Monitoring Specialists of the Agricultural Marketing Project (AMP), a significantly decreased import tax for early potato (valid from January 1st till May 15th) has influenced much the market. The prices decreased more than thrice comparing to the same period of time in 2005; the demand grew much respectively. Now you can buy early potato $0.45 in wholesale in Kyiv; a year ago early potato price did not decline lower $1.56/kg. The past year potato is only a little bit cheaper, and the prices continue deceasing, as to AMP information.

The market players say about the large supplies of Egypt early potato. This situation is of a great concern as Ukrainian early potato producers can have considerable losses this year. They usually entered the market late April and used to sell the product actively till late June. First wholesale shipments of the national early potato would cost not less than $ 2.7-2.9/kg in the last decade of April. The price was kept on the level of $1.56-1.96/kg till mid May. This year such high prices will doubtfully repeat because of the stable shipments of Egyptian early potato.

To the opinion of Andrey Yarmak, the Deputy Director of the Agricultural Marketing Project, early potato prices will hardly grow up to $0.78-0.98/kg till the 20ies of May. And, early produce of Ukrainian origin will cost more; imported produce price will be lower. Starting from the third decade of May early potato prices usually decline dynamically. The wholesale prices will be about $0.58/kg by the end of May, as to the expert's evaluation.