September 15 2008, 11:43

Ukraine remains among five leading global potato producers

According to the estimations of the experts of Association “Ukrainian club of agrarian business” , in 2007 Ukraine, having 19.1 mln. tonnes, took the forth place on gross production of potatoes after China, Russia and India, and the third place on production of potatoes per head after Belarus and Netherlands.

Ukraine also occupies the leading global positions for consumption of this product. In general, Ukrainians consume about 6.5 mln. tones of potatoes yearly and take the sixth place according to this figure after such high-populated countries as China, Russia, India, the USA, Great Britain, leaving behind the traditional consumers of potatoes – Poland and Germany. On an average, each Ukrainian consumes about 141 kg of potatoes yearly or 380 gramms daily, taking the fourth place on potato consumption per head. The leaders of potato consumption are Belarusian with the level of 1 kg per head daily (338 kg per head yearly). It should be noted that seven from ten consumption leaders are the countries of ex-USSR which traditionally have the high level of consumption.

According to Alex Lissitsa, the President of Ukrainian club of agrarian business, despite high places of Ukraine in the global rates of potatoes producers, the industry still has a lot of problems restricting the following growth of production and expanse to the markets of Russia, China and India. Lissitsa said that these problems are connected with the potato production structure in Ukraine because almost 90 % of potatoes are produced mostly for domestic consumption. Farms and agrarian holdings enter potatoes business reluctantly, growing grain and oilseeds, adding shortage of infrastructure for storing and transportation of potatoes.

The industry development may be stimulated by governmental support of investment projects, enterprises-producers or infrastructure development that is enable to lead Ukraine to the global leader in export of potatoes.

You can get the detailed information about the prospects of potato market in Ukraine and Russia visiting during the largest conferences in the CIS: the Third International Conference "Fruit & Vegetable Business of Russia - 2008" and the Fifth International Conference " Fruits and Vegetables of Ukraine 2008" .