Ukrainian farmers have significantly increased tomato prices, which was the result of a reduction in the volume of vegetables on the market despite consistently high demand. According to analysts from the EastFruit project, this was due to cool weather, which slowed the ripening of tomatoes and increased production costs.
Rising prices for greenhouse tomatoes
As a result, prices for greenhouse tomatoes have already reached UAH 55-65/kg ($1.33-1.58/kg), depending on the quality and volume of the batch. This is 10% more than last week. Such prices are a record for the past seven years, which is explained by the limited supply of vegetables on the market.
Sample reduction and demand
The main reason for the price increase was the reduction in tomato selections, especially among small producers who have almost completed the sale of the harvest. The vegetables that remain in them are sold in small batches and do not always meet high quality. At the same time, tomato harvests in stationary greenhouses remain small, which forces producers to also sell products in limited volumes.
According to experts, prices for greenhouse tomatoes in Ukraine are now 22% higher than last year. As demand for them remains consistently high, producers plan to further increase prices.
Supermarkets are also raising prices
In large retail chains in Ukraine, tomato prices have also risen to record levels. In particular:
- At Auchan, tomatoes are sold at 89.90 UAH/kg.
- In ATB — 74.89 UAH/kg.
- In Silpo — 75 UAH/kg.
Such price dynamics indicate that Ukrainian consumers should prepare for further increases in the price of vegetables, in particular tomatoes, especially as the winter period approaches.
