Ukrainians have been warned to stock up on potatoes. Prices will rise by the end of the year
23 August 2024 13:46
EXCLUSIVE
The potato harvest in Ukraine in 2024 will be worse than last year, and the price of the vegetable will increase. This forecast was made by Igor Shkurko, Director of Chernihivelitkartoplya. "Komersant Ukrainian" has exclusively spoken to Serhiy Rybalko, a representative of the Ukrainian Association of Potato Producers, to find out whether we should really expect a price increase.
Today, the price of medium-early potatoes is 12 UAH/kg. At the same time, mid-season, late-ripening potato varieties will be more expensive, according to the Ukrainian Potato Growers Association. Average prices for potatoes in Ukrainian supermarkets range from UAH 15.80 to 34.90 per kilogram. However, the UAPP considers price fluctuations and possible growth at the end of the year to be normal. Sergiy Rybalko, head of Adelaide Farm, member of the UACP Board of Directors, analyses prices from the perspective of entrepreneurs.
“If we talk about price dynamics, it has not changed for many years. We have a very large storage deficit. As long as potatoes are in the field, as long as they are sold off the wheels, from the field, they remain at the level of 9-10 UAH/kg for producers. In the past, the situation was similar until the frosts hit and potato harvesting at home ended.”
Serhii Rybalko
The biggest problem is the lack of storage facilities. And this is the reason for the rise in potato prices, says the market expert. After all, appropriate storage requires additional resources.
“Closer to the new year, we will experience a shortage of potatoes because we have no storage facilities”
Serhiy Rybalko
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At the same time, the member of the UACP Board of Directors advises against buying potatoes by hand at the markets. It can contain up to 5 times more heavy metals.
“We don’t know what vendors at the markets use to poison the bugs. Potatoes from someone’s garden contain at least three times more nitrates, because if a mixture of manure is used as fertiliser, it always contains nitrates,”
– he says.
He also points to inaccuracies in the data related to potato production in Ukraine. The statistics on the potato harvest in Ukraine, which annually exceeds 20 million tonnes, are not true, Rybalko says.
“For example, last year we could not find 4 million tonnes to supply the Defence Forces. Obviously, there is no such thing as a 20-tonne harvest.”
Serhii Rybalko
So, even if the price goes up, it will not be significant, concludes the representative of the Ukrainian Association of Potato Producers.
Author: Anastasia Fedor
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