Not all vitamins will be supplied in traditional quantities.
The Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB) estimated that in the temporarily occupied Kherson region in peacetime the most vegetables were grown compared to other regions – 14 percent of the total harvest. At the same time, the Kherson region makes the greatest contribution to the cultivation of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. Every third tomato grown in Ukraine was grown in the Kherson region, the share of cucumbers and onions in the overall structure of Ukrainian production is 12 percent. UNIAN writes about it.
“The share of young vegetables from the Ukrainian south in the first deliveries reached 70 percent. Now all deliveries from Kherson and southern Zaporozhye regions have been stopped,” said Kateryna Nichayeva, director of the Fresh Department of the VARUS supermarket chain./p>
Ukrainian retail is looking for a way out of the current situation, so it is trying to expand cooperation with import suppliers from Poland, the Netherlands, Turkey and other countries.
As in peacetime, we have different countries: Turkey – tomatoes, cucumbers, Egypt – citrus, France – peppers, tomatoes, Holland – young potatoes. In addition, Poland began to actively supply the so-called borscht group – beets, carrots, onions. Young cabbage is currently sourced from Slovenia, “said Natalia Rekuta, owner of the AIWA food chain.
At the same time, according to UCAB analyst Svitlana Lytvyn, this year the import supply of early vegetables also decreased. Cucumbers and tomatoes from Turkish suppliers are usually the first to enter the Ukrainian market.
What to expect?
Most likely, this summer Ukrainians will have to live without the harvest of Kherson melons and without Melitopol cherries.
“This season is under threat – watermelon, stone fruits and berries are supplied by Kherson and Zaporizhia regions. Other regions of Ukraine that grew melons due to uncertainty did not plant in time, so the presence of Ukrainian melons in sufficient quantities is questionable,” VARUS said./p>
Also for the Ukrainian consumer may be much less supply of other traditional berries for us in stores and markets.
“Usually the berry season begins in late April, early May. For example, we have already spoiled our customers with fragrant and attractive strawberries, but expensive greenhouse berries may end. Probably, we will not see Ukrainian cherries from Zaporozhye, where fierce fighting is taking place. Due to the loss of berry farms, this year's harvest may be halved, “AIWA said.
But at the same time, VARUS predicts that Ukraine will be able to provide itself with cherries from other regions.
“Although this is a very cautious forecast, if the weather is favorable, instead of Melitopol cherries we will have cherries from the gardens of the central regions of Ukraine and from the Greek gardens,” the supermarket chain said.
According to the AIWA network, even in the Ukrainian-controlled South, there is a problem with the irrigation system, which also complicates the cultivation of fresh vitamins.
irrigation, and without it even the controlled south may be left without a harvest of vegetables, grains and oilseeds. According to preliminary estimates, this year is expected to be less than the harvest of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, peas and melons up to 70 percent, – said the network.
Preparing for rising prices
All barriers to the cultivation and supply of fruits and vegetables will ultimately affect the growth of prices.
“The supply within Ukraine is limited and the final price will be formed from the supply of imported suppliers and the cost of logistics costs . If there is a very large harvest in other regions of the world for vegetables, fruits and berries, which make up the usual food basket of Ukrainians, the big offer restrains rising prices, “- said in the VARUS network.
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Earlier it was reported that Russian military looters who stole all the equipment from the dealership center of agricultural machinery in occupied Melitopol and sent it to Chechnya , later found in it an annoying “surprise” – the technique did not start. In total, all 27 units of agricultural machinery at the exhibition were stolen within a few weeks.
