Ukrainian apples under pressure from imports from the Southern Hemisphere: a new challenge for fruit growers
22 April 12:15
The arrival of apples from the Southern Hemisphere on the market could significantly increase price pressure on Ukrainian producers in the coming months, writes "Komersant Ukrainian", citing AgroTimes.
Vladimir Gurzhiy, head of USPA Fruit, writes about this in his article for the magazine “Gardening the Ukrainian Way.”
The first shipments from Brazil, Chile, and South Africa have already been sent to foreign markets, with the Brazilian harvest being 20% larger than last year’s and of good quality. At the same time, significant apple stocks remain in Poland.
“When these shipments arrive, the supply will overlap with Ukrainian stock,” the author notes.
The problem is exacerbated by seasonal factors: Ukrainian apples from storage enter the market at the same time as fresh produce from the Southern Hemisphere. At the same price, importers prefer fresher goods, which automatically raises quality requirements and complicates the negotiating positions of Ukrainian exporters.
According to the authors’ estimates, the scale of competition is also critical: South Africa, Chile, and New Zealand export tens of times more apples than Ukraine. Under such conditions, the window for profitable sales is limited, and delays in sales only increase the risk of falling prices.
