Demand for niche vegetable crops in Ukraine is rising, particularly for sweet potatoes and asparagus, according to a market review published in "Gardening in Ukrainian" by Ksenia Guseva, fruit and vegetable market analyst at APK-Inform IA.
Guseva notes that sweet potatoes, once available only in premium supermarket formats such as Le Silpo or Delmar, are now stocked in mainstream retail, including the Varus chain. "While sweet potatoes used to be sold only in premium supermarkets, like Le Silpo or Delmar, now they can be found even in regular retail chains, in particular Varus. The price has become quite affordable," she says.
She reports that production of salads and leafy greens is also increasing. Supermarkets now offer a wider selection of mixes, packaged salads, green onions, parsley, and dill. "I won't say that prices are high, but the choice is much wider now than a few years ago. Conditions for growing greens are now favorable, so production is gradually increasing," Guseva notes.
Despite wider availability, she emphasizes that sweet potatoes and greens remain niche crops grown largely under contract-based supply programs for supermarkets and restaurants. "This is not a mass product: you need to know exactly who you are selling to before you plant it. If ten farms nearby grow onions and only one grows potatoes, then the potatoes will be more expensive," she says.
The current trend reflects increased consumer interest in alternative vegetable crops and a shift in retail assortment, though production remains limited and targeted toward specific buyers rather than broad distribution.
Source: PotatoPro
