Ukrainian Berries Mostly Exported as Raw Material, Prices Decline

More than 95% of Ukrainian berries are exported without prior sorting and processing, primarily as raw material. This information was shared by Ivan Chaykivskyi, a member of parliament, secretary of the agricultural committee of the Verkhovna Rada, and founder of the company “Agroprodservis.” According to him, this trend negatively impacts the price and volume of Ukrainian berry exports.

This is reported by AgroReview

“This is a problem not only for the berry sector but for all agricultural exports. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, Ukraine receives only $309 per ton of exported products, while Poland receives $1560,” he noted. He emphasized that low quality and underdeveloped processing reduce the price potential of Ukrainian berries in the international market.

Examples from the Raspberry Sector and Export Figures for 2023

To illustrate his point, Chaykivskyi provided an example from the raspberry sector: “If we sell frozen raspberries for 100 hryvnias per kilogram, a Polish factory turns them into jam, tea, or juices and sells them for 2000 hryvnias — 20 times more.” This demonstrates the significant difference in added value.

In 2023, Ukraine exported a record 87 thousand tons of frozen berries worth over 132 million dollars. The main type of berry was raspberry — 46 thousand tons, followed by blueberries — 27 thousand tons. The primary market remained the European Union, with a particular focus on Poland, which purchased Ukrainian berries worth over 50 million dollars.

However, the average price per exported ton has decreased: in 2022 it was $2281, while in 2023 it dropped to $1519, indicating a decline in the profitability of the Ukrainian berry sector.

More details about the prospects for the global blueberry market can be found in a special analytical article.