Is Ukraine facing a salt shortage: the real situation on the market
11 February 14:21
FORECAST
Recently, there have been periodic reports in the media about a possible salt shortage in Ukraine. However, the real situation on the market suggests otherwise. Economist Andriy Novak is convinced that there is no reason to panic, and that every Ukrainian can check this for themselves, as he said in an exclusive comment "Komersant Ukrainian".
“To understand whether Ukraine is facing a salt shortage, you don’t need to read the Russian IPSO, just go to any store in Ukraine and see if there is salt there or not, what the ‘shortage’ is,” the expert emphasizes. According to him, the best indicator of the state of the market is store shelves.
Indeed, today salt can be found both in large supermarkets and in small grocery stores.
“There is not even a hint of a salt shortage in Ukraine. In any retail outlet, of any size, whether it is a large supermarket or a small grocery store, you will always find salt,” Novak emphasizes.
It is worth remembering that in 2022, the situation was more complicated. Due to the full-scale invasion and the shutdown of the Artemsil enterprise, there was a temporary shortage and a rush of demand. However, as the economist notes, “the crisis we had in 2022 due to the shutdown of Artemsil, and the wave that lasted perhaps several months, is long gone.”
The market quickly adapted to the new conditions. Large and medium-sized retail chains reorganized their logistics and established alternative supply channels.
“Now, large and medium-sized retail chains, as well as small retail outlets, have all established supplies of both domestically produced and imported salt,” Novak explains.
As for import sources, market mechanisms are at work here. According to the economist, “each retail chain or grocery store owner determines where it is most profitable for them, primarily in terms of price.” The main supplier countries are Poland, the Baltic states, and Romania.
“Some import from Poland, some from the Baltic countries, some from Romania — whoever finds the most profitable partners, agrees on the price and volume of the shipment, that’s how they import,” he explains.
Thus, the Ukrainian food market demonstrates stability and flexibility even in wartime. There is no shortage of salt or other basic products, and this is easy to verify in practice. According to Andriy Novak, reports of shortages are more likely to be misinformation than a reflection of the real economic situation.
