October 2 2006, 09:22

Price dynamics for table beet is similar to October 2005

This year the price situation for table beets is the same as it was a year ago. This fact is proven by the results of the monitoring of wholesale prices set by vegetable producers; the specialists of the Agricultural Marketing Project (AMP) monitor the price situation on a regular basis.

The highest prices for table beets are traditionally observed mid June when newly harvested commodities are sold. The price level was $0.39-0.49/kg in 2004 and $0.88-0.98/kg in 2005 and 2006. Then, the prices tend to rapidly decrease (the prices dropped down to $0.15-0.23/kg past year). Starting from this moment, table beets prices are traditionally stable till the beginning of active harvesting period. At that time the prices go down for another 10-15%. By the end of harvesting season, early November, the prices grow a little bit. A gradual price growth takes place during the whole season of the next winter, and the prices rapidly jump up in spring.

In winter 2005 the prices for table beet were $0.12-0.19/kg depending from the region. In spring table beets cost up to $0.39-0.49/kg (for the past year harvested commodities). In winter 2006 the prices were $0.21-0.39/kg; they grew up to $0.35-0.49/kg in spring. The gap between the highest and the lowest prices constituted one and a half times in winter-spring period 2005, and nearly two times in winter-spring 2006. This fact can be explained by significant expenses for produce supply from the production regions to consumer centers.

According to the updated AMP production and price forecast for the produce commodities, around 750,000 tons of table beets will be produced in 2006 in Ukraine. This figure 10% exceeds the past year records. A full forecast is available in October issues of "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal.