December 21 2006, 15:19

Cultivar production should be developed in order to preserve the growth rates of berry export from Ukraine

During five years (2001-2005) Ukraine has exported fresh and frozen berries and fruits worth to the total sum of $ 140 mln., or $28 mln. annually in average. It is worth mentioning that blueberry, raspberry and strawberry constituted 90% of exported volumes. 87% of these berries were exported as frozen product. The export volumes have significantly increased during five recent years. According to information presented by Maxim Yenchenko, the specialist of the Agricultural Marketing Project during the third international conference "Fruits and Vegetables of Ukraine 2006. Open Market", this product group performed more than 200% growth of exported volumes.

Despite of such perfect indices, there are very limited reserves to preserve such trends in future, if the existing production system is further applied, to Mr. Yenchenko opinion. 80% of export of the mentioned product group is wild blueberry picked in forests. The reserves to extend the acreage of wild blueberry harvesting are quite limited; at the same time, the labor expenses to pick blueberry are constantly growing. The competition of blueberry purchasers contributes to the annual 30-40% price growth.

To preserve the growth rates of export, the producers should pay attention to the opportunities of the production of cultivar blueberry and extension of raspberry growing.