Food monitoring: borscht set vegetables went up in price in May, eggs went down in price
15 May 2025 12:56
In May, Ukraine saw mixed price dynamics: on the one hand, pork, onions, cabbage, carrots and beets showed a noticeable rise in price, while on the other hand, the cost of eggs and some greenhouse vegetables, on the contrary, declined. Such trends are evidenced by the Product Monitoring of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, informs
Vegetables grew in price the most
Onions have almost doubled in price (plus 82% per month) and now cost an average of 29.9 UAH/kg, which is 91% more than last year. The price is expected to rise at least until July, depending on the volume of imports.
Beets added 60% in price over the month and are 121% higher than last year, costing 46.9 UAH/kg, cabbage rose to 72.5 UAH/kg – 42% month-on-month, and the annual growth reached a record 437%. Carrots rose to 49.9 UAH/kg, up 14% month-on-month, which is 342% more than in May 2024. The main reason for the rise in prices of beets, cabbage and carrots is a significant reduction in supply amid a seasonal decline in stocks.
At the same time, old potatoes fell slightly by 2% per month to 34.4 UAH/kg, under pressure from young potatoes, which currently cost 80-130 UAH/kg. The price of new potatoes is expected to decline from mid-June due to increased domestic supply.
The upward trend in prices is also observed in the meat market
The price of the neck increased the most – by 20% per month, to 330 UAH/kg. According to the experts of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, we should not expect a decrease in prices in the near future, as there is a decrease in domestic supply due to a decrease in the number of pigs by 11% compared to last year and a decrease in slaughter weight by 9% in the first quarter of 2025.
Beef prices rose by 6% month-on-month to 317 UAH/kg amid a decline in cattle numbers and the impact of pork prices.
Chicken fillet gained 5% over the month and costs 200 UAH/kg, which is 29% more than a year ago. Chicken thighs fell by 4% over the month to 120 UAH/kg, and the price increased by 8% over the year.
Price stability in the dairy and grocery markets
In early May, prices on supermarket shelves ranged from 1-6% depending on the product. However, most dairy products still went up significantly compared to last year.
Grocery prices remained relatively stable. Sunflower oil went up by 2% over the month to UAH 76.7 per 850 ml, which is 30% more than last year. The price of rice (50.1 UAH/kg) remained unchanged compared to April and was even 13% lower than in May 2024, due to lower global prices.
What products pleased with a pleasant price
The price reduction is observed among eggs and salad vegetables. Chicken eggs of the C1 category fell by 5% over the month to UAH 72.3 per dozen, although their price remains 50% higher in annual terms. With the onset of warmer weather, prices are expected to decline further.
Cucumbers fell significantly in price by 31% over the month to 53.5 UAH/kg, which is 14% lower than last year; tomatoes – by 21% to 99.5 UAH/kg, which is also 7% less than last year. This is due to an increase in the domestic supply of greenhouse products and a stable level of imports. It is expected that cucumber prices may decline by another 5-10% in the coming weeks.
The borsch index has risen “thanks” to vegetables
Based on the fact that to make borsch (for 3 liters of water) you will need: 250 g of cabbage, 500 g of beets, 300 g of potatoes, 150 g of carrots, 100 g of onions, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 30 ml of oil, 500 g of pork ribs, and salt, pepper and bay leaf to taste, the cost of borsch will be 222 UAH.
Thus, over the course of a month, the Borsch Index grew by 19%, and over the course of a year, the price increased by 52%.
If you add two more slices of bread (50 g), a tablespoon of sour cream (25 g) and a clove of garlic (5 g) to the borscht, the price of such a borscht set will rise to UAH 232, up from UAH 195 last month.
State Statistics Service data confirms the food price hike
Vegetable prices are particularly upsetting. The scale of the rise is clearly seen in the example of cabbage, which now costs 46.60 UAH per kg and has risen in price by 267.4% since April 2024, as well as carrots, a kilogram of which is now bought for an average of 36.90 UAH and which has soared in price by 205.9%.
A comparative analysis shows that dairy products, vegetables, eggs and oil have hit Ukrainians’ wallets the hardest.
