January 25 2007, 12:01

Russia: first large shipments of national greenhouse cucumbers entered Moscow markets

The specialists of large wholesale companies in Moscow provided "Agrooglyad: Vegetables and Fruits" journal with information that first large shipments of cucumber of Russian origin entered the markets of the city and the oblast. But, despite of the high quality characteristics of Russian produce, the buyers preferred to purchase imported products grown in Spain and Turkey.

The consumers' preferences are predetermined by the price difference for the imported and Russian cucumber. It is possible to buy the imported cucumbers for $ 2.45-2.83/kg; the greenhouse complexes of the Russian Federation offer their product 33-36% more expensive ($ 3.4-3.78/kg). Russian producers said that such a high price is caused by the high production cost. At the same time, the market players think that the quality of the imported produce is lower than the quality of the greenhouse cucumbers of Russian origin.

According to the forecasts of the representatives of the greenhouse complexes, the considerable increase of the national cucumber supply is expected as soon as in the first decade of February on market. In the meantime the consumers are expected to key up the demand for cucumber of Russian origin. This process will be possibly followed by a certian price decrease for this product on the background of the simultaneous reduction of the imported volumes. The first shipments of Russian greenhouse cucumbers have not been able to significantly influence the market yet.