In 2023, Ukraine's revenue from the export of fruit and berry products amounted to $257 million, a decrease of 18% compared to the previous year. Thus, the full-scale war continues to adversely affect the potential supply of fruits, berries, and nuts to foreign markets as was reported by the Ukrainian Association of Agrarian Export (UAAE).
Last year, the highest revenues for Ukrainian exporters came from sales of frozen berries and other fruits ($132 million, mainly raspberries and blueberries), walnuts in shell and shelled ($77 million), top fruits (essentially apples, $18 million), and fresh berries ($18 million).
Regarding the quantitative volumes within these groups, in 2023, the export of frozen fruits reached 87,000 tons, increasing by 3,000 tons and reaching a maximum since Ukraine's independence. The sales volume of walnuts on the international market increased from 25,000 tons in 2022 to almost 31,000 tons in 2023, and berries increased from 4,000 tons to 5,000 tons. Meanwhile, the export volumes of apples and pears decreased from over 46,000 tons in 2022 to 42,000 tons in 2023.
The main buyer countries of Ukrainian fruit and berry products for the past year were Poland (about $62 million), Germany ($24 million), Italy ($14 million), France ($13 million), Czech Republic ($13 million), Romania ($12 million), Netherlands ($11 million), Austria ($11 million), and Azerbaijan ($10 million). Overall, the European Union maintains its status as the main consumer of Ukrainian horticultural products, accounting for 77%.
UAAE notes that global price trends have been mixed. For frozen fruits and walnuts, a decrease in export prices led to a reduction in total revenue despite an increase in quantitative volumes. The average price of Ukrainian apples remained the same in 2023, exceeding $400 per ton. However, there was an increase in the price of blueberries to $4,481 per ton, up by 18%.
source: agronews.ua