Buckwheat Harvest in Ukraine Decreased by 15% in 2025: Price Increase Expected
In 2025, Ukrainian farmers harvested 15% less buckwheat than in the previous season. Despite this, a shortage in the domestic market is not anticipated; however, prices may rise due to increased demand influenced by media reports. This was stated by the director of the “Millers of Ukraine” association, Rodion Rybychynskyi.
This is reported by AgroReview
Reasons for the Decrease in Harvest and Its Impact on the Market
According to the expert, the main reason for the reduction in harvest should be sought in the agricultural policies of farmers. They independently make decisions about which crops are more profitable to grow. Many producers prefer sunflower, soy, or rapeseed, as these crops have higher profitability and allow them to defend their rights to export without additional duties. Buckwheat yields between 1.3–1.5 tons per hectare, and its wholesale price in the domestic market is about 20,000 hryvnias per ton.
Impact of Panic Demand on Prices
“Some newspaper or Telegram channel started shouting this week that buckwheat is getting more expensive. People listened, rushed to the supermarket. They see: buckwheat is sold at 25 UAH/kg, and tomorrow it will be 30 UAH/kg. They bought it all. The warehouses of processing plants are empty. Retailers are starting to ask the authorities, ‘Where is the buckwheat?’ But it is with the farmers, who are waiting for prices to rise to 40 UAH/kg and are not releasing their goods. They do this because consumers bought all the products at 25 UAH/kg,” explained the head of the industry association.
Rybychynskyi notes that there are no grounds for a significant increase in buckwheat prices; however, a panic demand is emerging in the market, provoked by media reports. This leads to mass purchases of buckwheat, emptying warehouses, and delaying the sale of products by farmers in anticipation of even higher prices. According to the expert, similar situations occur every three to four years.
He specifically emphasized that the real need for buckwheat primarily comes from people with diabetes, while most consumers can manage with other grains. Ukraine grows enough corn and wheat groats to meet domestic demand.
In the 2025 season, the area planted with buckwheat in Ukraine decreased to 69.1 thousand hectares, while in 2024 this figure was 90.3 thousand hectares. As of the end of October, buckwheat had been harvested from 86% of the area with a yield of 14 quintals per hectare, and the total production volume amounted to 83.3 thousand tons, which is significantly less than the 126.9 thousand tons produced last year.