Potential for Ukrainian organic berries on the EU market
During a press conference held on April 19 on the export potential of Ukrainian berries, the founders of the Kiyevskiy cooperative announced that, to successfully run a berry company, Ukrainian growers should focus on organic products. .
They consider that the production of non-organic berries is not profitable in Ukraine, since, to grow them, a Ukrainian producer has to use imported fertilizers, which have become very expensive in view of the devaluation of the national currency. Furthermore, producers are forced to sell their conventional berries only in the domestic market, where there is not much demand. «Russia bought a part of Ukrainian berries before the import ban. Even after the introduction of the ban in 2015, Ukrainian farmers sent their berries to the Russian Federation through Crimea. However, Russia has strengthened its customs controls on banned products, and this market is currently closed," explains Tetiana Getman, director of Fruit-Inform.
There is demand for Ukrainian berries in the EU; however, only for organic products (exported frozen). Demand for organic products has been steadily increasing in Europe thanks to the growing emphasis on health and Ukrainian producers have an advantage, which could allow them to become one of the main suppliers of organic products for the EU.
«Fertile lands and a favorable climate allow Ukrainians to grow high-quality products at a relatively low cost. As experience has shown us, a business focused on the production of organic berries and its exports to the EU show annual benefits of up to 200%.", says Shubrat.
However, there are many difficulties with the export of fresh berries, so Shubrat suggests exporting them frozen. «Berries are a very delicate product. In contrast to conventional berries, whose shelf life lasts weeks, organic ones should be on supermarket shelves one day after harvest. Its useful life is very limited, and its quality worsens significantly after transportation..
According to Getman, the sale of frozen berries is a common practice for European growers. «For example, Serbia and Poland, which are European leaders in raspberry production, sell almost all of their harvested volume as frozen».
Source: fruit-inform.com
Ukraine has been rapidly increasing its exports of frozen berries, which have reached a record 24.000 tons in the first half of the current season, a 56% year-on-year increase.
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