November 9 2006, 10:24

Apple import to Ukraine will grow thrice in 2006 - AMP forecast

Preparing for the third international conference "Fruits and Vegetables of Ukraine 2006. open Market", the analysts of the Agricultural Marketing Project are working on the forecast of the situation development on produce market for the remaining months 2006 and for 2007. The results of this investigation will be presented in expert reports during the conference.

It is interesting to note that the significant growth of quality apple import in 2005 was not an occasional or short-term trend. The import grew due to the dramatic decrease of the tariff rates. The adjustment of the trade relations with apple suppliers from Poland and other EU countries continues on a regular basis; the growth of apple import to Ukraine confirms this fact. Even since the low seasonal tariff rate was out of force starting from March 31st 2005, the volumes of imported apples to Ukrainian market had increased the past year data 16 times in average!

Andriy Yarmak, the Deputy Director of the Agricultural Marketing Project says that the calculations of the Project analysts point to high probability of the continuous growth of the imported apple supplies on Ukrainian market during the remaining months of 2006. According to the export's forecast, apple import will exceed 100,000 tons and probably reach 115-120,000 tons in 2006. So, apple import in 2006 can exceed the previous record of 2005 which amounted to 40,300 tons. The average wholesale prices for apple have increased on the markets of Poland and other EU countries, so the gross import value can exceed $ 35-40 mln.

More details on the perspectives of produce import and export will be presented to the conference participants "Fruits and Vegetables of Ukraine 2006. Open Market" to be held in Kyiv on December 5th-6th 2006. We remind that only around two weeks are left to register for participation in the event.