June 29 2006, 16:42

Fruit assortment in very limited this year on Crimean markets

This year turned out to be poor for fruits in Crimea; apricot and peach have almost fully frosted out. At the same time, apricot seems to suffer less in the neighboring Zaporizhzhya oblast. Traders from Zaporizhzhya supply apricot to Crimea for a wholesale price of $1.17-1.76/kg. At the same period of time past year the price for apricot was $0.39-1.17/kg in retail trade that is 2-3 times cheaper than in 2006.

Nobody sells peach on market; at this period of time past year peach was actively sold for $1.96-2.35/kg. National peach can enter markets in one-two weeks; but it is difficult to forecast price right now. It will depend on quality and demand for this product. According to evaluations of the specialists, early peach suffered the most.

Mainly sweet cherry grown by local private producers is sold now on Crimean markets. Intermediaries are driving round villages to purchase sweet cherry for $0.68-0.98/kg depending from size and quality. From the one side, a medium cherry tree brings the family a profit around $ 50-100; from the other side, buyers have to pay $1.37-1.56/kg for sweet cherry from market intermediaries. Despite of the fact that supplied volumes of sweet cherry are lower than a year ago, the prices have not changed. It is partially caused by less tourists in Crimea this season. To replace frost-injured peach and apricot, farmers hope to produce cucurbits crops. Melon of national origin is supplied now on market for $0.78-1.17/kg, and also sweet corn for $0.39/earcorn.