According to Irina Koziy, the CEO of Fruitnews Information Agency, as of the end of October 2023, compared to the same period last year, the minimum price of mandarins in retail networks has risen by about 50%, and the average price has increased by approximately 30%. The primary reason for this is the change in the ruble exchange rate against world currencies, including the US dollar.
Experts suggest that if the ruble does not continue to depreciate, the price of mandarins should traditionally decrease by New Year. Despite the common belief that mandarins usually become cheaper by New Year's, the current trend is an increase in prices, attributed to the recent fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate.
Some media reports suggest that due to the conflict in Israel and poor harvests in certain supplier countries, there may be a shortage of mandarins. In Abkhazia, the harvest may be 20,000 tons less this year, and Azerbaijan also experiences a noticeable decrease in fruit yields. Additionally, over 400 tons of fruits from Turkey and Iran were rejected at the Russian border due to the presence of the Mediterranean fruit fly and the peach fruit fly.
Ruslan Suleymanov, the head of the company "Fruktovikov," mentions a price increase of around 50-60% for African mandarins, but expects Turkish mandarins to be more reasonably priced, about 40% cheaper, starting in mid-December. The situation with Moroccan mandarins will also be clearer in December.
As for future price changes, Suleymanov suggests that if there is a mandarin shortage, prices will inevitably rise. Currently, shipments from Turkey and Iran seem to be proceeding without widespread quality control issues. The price range for mandarins in Moscow's network stores varies from 1 to 4.86 euros per kilogram, with discounts available for many varieties from countries such as Morocco, China, and Turkey.
source: bfm.ru