Ukraine in October cut exports of organic apples for processing by 42% YoY, to 2,200 tons due to overproduction and critically low prices of this type of fruit, the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association’s press service reported.
“In October only 2,200 tons of apples were exported from Ukraine, down by 42%. Thus, exports of apples in the first four months of the current season totaled only 7,600 tons and were 7% lower YoY. If we consider that organic apples for processing already account for a rather substantial share of apple shipments abroad, then the situation looks even more critical,” it said.
Excess production of apples for processing this year is estimated at 150,000-200,000 tons, and amid critical prices of apples, their exports continue declining compared with last year’s figures.
Project manager for the development of Ukrainian exports and economist of the Investment Center Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Andriy Yarmak says that the situation is due to the use of outdated apple growing technologies.
“Even in 2018 many producers could have gone for technologies for growing apples that could be exported as far as to Asia, but they hadn’t, hoping that “sales will happen on their own”. In addition to outdated varieties and technologies, a big problem faced by Ukrainian gardeners is a huge mutual distrust, which leads to a lack of cooperation between them, the underestimated importance of investment in marketing, as well as in regular exports,” Yarmak said.
The association’s press service added that today small-sized Ukrainian farms could not sell premium apples even for UAH 2.5 per kg (less than $0.1 per kg), while manufacturers who had invested in marketing and technology could ask prices 5-6 times higher. (UNIAN/Business World Magazine)