October 2 2006, 10:13

Strawberry entered Kyiv wholesale market again

Ukrainian strawberry is again supplied for sale on FARMER market in Kyiv. This commodity has been sold mid July on wholesale market for the last time this year. The wholesale price for this commodity is $1.96-2.35/kg.

We have already informed about the increased interest of Ukrainian producers to remontant day-neutral strawberry production. This strawberry variety can yield from spring till first frosts. To the opinion of the specialists of the Agricultural Marketing Project, some producers have reached this year the needed production level to assemble first wholesale shipments of strawberry.

To the opinion of the Project, at the present moment berry production in Ukraine is one of the most perspective agricultural businesses in the country - the investments to berry production are quite quickly paid off. In particular, the demand for strawberry steadily exceeds supply on fresh market of our country. The possibility to apply technologies attracts the investors at most; due to these technologies strawberry harvest may be gathered out of the "traditional" terms of ripening and consumption, when the price for this commodity is higher than in peak of harvesting season.

Both Ukrainian and foreign companies are interested in this market. For example, Californian Ekland Marketing Company has made this year the decision to enter Ukrainian market jointly with its Turkish partners. The company specializes on selection, production and supplies of new highly productive strawberry varieties in various countries of the world. In this regard, the company management decided to sponsor the specialized forum "Main aspects of the modern technologies of raspberry and strawberry production. Modern orcharding technologies". The forum will be held for the first time in the framework of the third international conference-exhibition "Fruits and Vegetables of Ukraine 2006. Open market". The company representative will share information regarding the most advanced technologies of strawberry production in various world countries and about the perspectives of this business development in Ukraine. And, the company has a huge experience in the issues of post harvest handling and marketing of strawberry commodities. The company specialist is ready to share his experience with the conference participants.

To the opinion of Andriy Yarmak, the Deputy Director of the Agricultural Marketing Project, the largest strawberry producers in Ukraine are LUKA Joint Enterprise in Vinnitsa oblast and DRUZHBA NARODOV company in AR Crimea; these companies are also planning to actively participate in the conference. AGRO FRUTIKA BYSHKIV company in Lviv oblast has also announced ambitious plans of the commercial strawberry production this year. The company is set up jointly with Italian investors and several other national and foreign companies.