As the infrastructure in Ukraine is restored, the ability to export apples has also returned, says Volodymyr Gurzhiy of Ukrainian apple exporter USPA Fruit: “Since the new year, and especially in recent weeks, prices of apples have started to rise. As the problems with infrastructure in Ukraine were solved, namely, alternative sources of electricity supply were established, it helped us to fulfil the shipment schedules. Accordingly, export deliveries were jump-started from that point. Currently, all export deliveries are taking place in a normal fashion. The increase in prices was influenced by the factor of decreasing supply of apples from Europe in general. On the other hand, we’ve noticed that demand has been stable.”
As the fresh produce exporters in Ukraine are now gaining experience of doing business in the harshest conditions, Gurzhiy feels that once the war is over, Ukrainian horticulture will be booming. “Over the years of export, we were able to prove to our customers that the Ukrainian apple has its value and a special place among all the apples. We’ve also grown a lot in marketing in recent years. All this created a consistently high demand for Ukrainian apples, and I would even say that today the demand for the Royal Gala variety is higher than the production of this apple variety in Ukraine. As for the price of our apples, here we also have our own price point. Our apples are slightly cheaper than those from Italy, but in the same positioning in terms of the quality. All this lays down a very serious potential for the development of all horticulture in Ukraine, and I believe that after our victory in the war, when we will again get access to our sea ports in the south of Ukraine, we will have a horticultural boom.”
Ahead of the Ukrainian apple season’s usual ending, volumes are already running low, Gurzhiy explains: “The volume of export varieties are already running out. Currently, it is already difficult to buy apples to form batches of goods. Due to the war, the season was shaped in such a way that, in order to prevent the risk of loss of goods, despite the large harvest, many apples were sent for processing. This was especially related to small-sized apples. We, USPA Fruit, have for many years worked out the markets for the export of small-caliber apples, many actions have been taken to enter the markets of Asia and Africa, and the previous two seasons show that it is possible to successfully supply small-caliber apples to the markets of the Middle East as well. I think that the active phase of apple exports from Ukraine is coming to an end.”
Gurzhiy does hope that Ukraine will be able to reach new markets, as he feels it’s needed for the apple industry in Ukraine to evolve further. “USPA Fruit has the experience of exporting to 42 countries, but due to the high cost of logistics, which is higher than it is for other apple producing countries, the geography of our sales has halved. But even the remaining markets were enough to consume all the apples exported from Ukraine.
"For development, keeping prices and quality at the same level, we will need to open new markets, and this process is long and hard. For example; Ukraine, in comparison with Poland and other European countries, does not have permission to supply to India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Canada, Latin American countries and many other countries. Also, a big consuming country, like Egypt, has high duties for the apples from Ukraine. This, on the one hand, restrains the geographical development of our exports, but on the other hand, creates pressure on the traditional markets as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.”
With all the challenges the Ukrainian apple exporter has had to endure so far, Gurzhiy thinks the next season will be a successful one as well, if certain conditions are met: “Finally, we learned to export even during the war, overcame logistical and other difficulties and sold almost the entire volume of Ukrainian apples export varieties and quality, a few months before the end of the season. If the weather conditions work out well, and if the war does not advance to the west, then I see quite strong arguments for a successful export season in 2023/2024 as well. After the victory of Ukraine, the world will again receive a lot of agricultural products, as well as taste delicious Ukrainian apples,” he concludes.
For more information:
Volodymyr Gurzhiy
USPA Fruit LLC
Cell / WhatsApp / Viber: +380 50 925 57 32
Email: v.gurzhiy@uspafruit.com
www.uspafruit.com