Watermelon prices: what is happening on Ukrainian markets
16 August 10:07
The improvement in weather conditions almost throughout the country has allowed Ukrainian watermelon producers to resume active harvesting, which leads to an increase in the supply of these products on the market.
This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to analysts of the EastFruit project.
At the same time, according to farmers, the price situation is exacerbated by the fact that the bulk of the supply is made up of large-caliber products, the demand for which is very weak. Wholesale companies and retail chains are reducing their purchases of such watermelon to a minimum, citing extremely slow retail sales.
At the moment, the prices for these melons have already dropped to 5-15 UAH/kg ($0.12-0.36/kg), which is 31% cheaper on average than at the end of the previous business week. Producers explain the negative price dynamics by a sharp increase in the supply of these products on the market. Due to the hot weather, the pace of plant ripening in the fields has accelerated significantly. At the same time, the drought observed in the southern regions has a negative impact on the quality of watermelons, which increases the rate of price decline.
It is worth noting that watermelons in Ukraine are currently sold on average 78% more expensive than in mid-August 2024. At the same time, industry experts do not expect any significant improvement in the market. According to them, only the owners of high quality watermelons will be able to raise prices, and the supply of such products on the market is very limited. At the same time, prices for watermelons weighing 5 kg or more will continue to fall, as farmers will try to speed up sales to sell off existing volumes as soon as possible.
