Cheap apples are a thing of the past: what prices Ukrainians can expect in 2025
13 September 22:12
Apples in Ukraine will never be as cheap as they once were. Although this year’s harvest was better than last year, prices are significantly affected by exports.
Taras Bashtannik, president of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association, said this in an interview with SEEDS, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
How much will apples cost in 2025?
According to Bashtannik, the current price of apples should be compared primarily with the recent price, not with what it was “once upon a time.” The expert predicts that this year the price of apples in Ukraine will be about 30-40 hryvnias per kilogram, which is much less than 70 or 100 hryvnias, as it was a few months ago, but also much more than the 5 hryvnia price tag that Ukrainians still remember well.
The situation is due to the fact that the market is gradually getting rid of “situational” players, and only professional, systematic producers remain, who are increasingly export-oriented. This allows the market to avoid oversupply within the country and maintain a balance. As apples become better quality, the amount of second-rate fruit for processing decreases. At the same time, high-quality commercial apples are mostly sold in markets and stores.
“If the export price is, say, 40 hryvnias per kilogram, then the prices on the domestic market cannot be 20. Otherwise, what is the point of such a business? And there will never be apples for 5 hryvnias again. And this is very good for Ukrainian producers,” the expert said.
He also added that despite the war, apple exports continue to grow, which definitely affects the prices we see in stores.
