May 29 2006, 09:44

Squash replaces greenhouse cucumber in Zakarpattya

Rather high prices for early vegetables encourage many producers to start this business, especially in the regions like Zakarpattya, where early vegetables production is traditionally developed. Early cabbage, cucumber and tomato are the crops mainly produced in Zakarpattya film greenhouses. In addition to the acreage extension, producers have significantly improved the technology recently, so that the yields are higher per unit area.

Early produce supplies have grown substantially in these circumstances, so that sales for attractive prices became a problem. To the present moment the price for greenhouse cucumber has declined to the critically low level, Zakarpattya producers say. They risk losing money if the prices drop down lower this level. So that the producers have to pay attention to over crops, which production and consumption are significantly smaller. At the same time, the existing market conjuncture makes the prices for these crops look more attractive. Such crops are early squash and various lettuces, which margin is much higher than traditional margin for cucumber, Lyudmila Dzyamko says, the Market Information Specialist of Zakarpattya office, Agricultural Marketing Project.

The specialist forecasts that the trend of acreage growth can be broken for greenhouse cucumbers next year, so that the acreage will stay on the same level or even be reduced. However, if the acreage reduction takes place, the fields will be used for squash and lettuce production.