Strawberry cultivation areas will go on extending in Ukraine
Strawberry cultivation areas have been extending steadily but still slowly in Ukraine. As of today, according to the data of State Statistics Committee, 8,600 ha of strawberry yield 35-47,000 tons of berries annually in Ukraine. Strawberry has all rights to be called the most popular berry in the country. However, rather high prices and short harvesting season do not let Ukrainian consumers get the maximum benefit of this berry.
In 2006, as well as in the previous years, the strawberry season lasted around one month, early June till early July. This is the season of comparatively low prices and active supply of national strawberry to market. The prices were several times higher late May and mid July comparing to the mentioned season. At the same time, remontant strawberry (day-neutral varieties) let the producers harvest strawberry till first frosts, Yuri Sologub says, the Senior Agronomist of the Agricultural Marketing Project.
Strawberry business of Ukraine has got interested many companies, both national and foreign. The opportunities of season extension and growing demand let us suppose the investments to strawberry business are likely to pay off quite quickly. Entering the market, companies utilize modern varieties and technologies which let producers have high yields of good quality berry during a rather long time.
The specialists think, the extension of strawberry cultivation areas will continue. They prove this fact based on the mentioned information, and also analyzing the trends of past years, strawberry prices formed during the recently finished season. The most considerable growth will be observed in the segment of professional producers; however, houseplot owners do not hurry to give up strawberry production. Still, only professionals will be able to invest enough funds to the season extension. They have already entered the market, so we can hope that in next years strawberry will be sold for favorable prices not only one, but three or even four months on Ukrainian markets.