On the eve of Easter, Ukrainians are facing another blow to their wallets - the holiday basket has become 17% more expensive compared to 2024. If last year an Easter set of products for a family of four cost about 1,422 hryvnias, this year it is already 1,663.26 hryvnias. And if you add vegetables, fruits and wine to the basket, the cost of the celebration will reach 2,009.76 hryvnias, which is almost 22% more than last year.
This was announced by Yuriy Lupenko, director of the National Research Center “Institute of Agrarian Economics.” He explained that the reasons for the growth were high demand, rising prices for raw materials, and the impact of the war on the agricultural sector and logistics.
The prices of Easter cakes, eggs, meat, and vegetables increased the most.
Easter cake - the highest price jump
The cost of preparing Easter Easter cake according to the classic recipe increased by 38.6% and is 318.4 UAH for 3–4 products of 500–600 g. Homemade Easter cake made from flour, eggs, butter, milk, sugar, yeast, and raisins costs 232.96 UAH per 1 kg - almost a third more expensive than last year.
The main reasons are the increase in prices for butter (up to UAH 121 per 200 g), milk (UAH 30 per 0.5 l), eggs (UAH 58 per 8 pcs), flour (+62.4%) and sugar (+16.8%).
Eggs — demand is driving prices up
Chicken eggs, an indispensable product in the basket, have risen in price by almost 30% over the year. The average price is UAH 76.4 per dozen. Analysts note that due to the holiday rush, a significant decrease is not expected until May, when households will increase supply.
Meat and dairy products are rising faster than inflation
Meat products account for the largest share of the basket's cost. Homemade sausage costs UAH 212.5 per 0.5 kg, bacon costs UAH 303, and lard costs UAH 123. The growth ranged from 2.5% to 16.5%. Butter became more expensive by 37.8%, hard cheese by almost 9%, and soft cheese by over 11%.
Vegetables, fruits, wine — not everyone can afford them.
Vegetables and fruits are showing particularly sharp growth: cucumbers and tomatoes have risen in price by an average of 80%. Apples — by 60–70%. Even traditional Cahors will become a more expensive element of the celebration.
War as a permanent factor of influence
Experts are unanimous - the war remains the key factor in the increase in prices. It affects agricultural production, transport logistics, infrastructure, as well as energy costs. Although some products, such as flour or sugar, became slightly cheaper in March, their price still increased in annual terms.
So this year, the holiday table will become a real financial challenge for many Ukrainian families.
