Ukrainian fruit producer Sady Dnipra has exported fresh pears to Saudi Arabia for the first time, marking Ukraine's entry into the Middle Eastern pear market. The shipment was made by sea through Ukrainian ports despite the ongoing conflict, according to company representatives quoted by EastFruit.
Ukraine has traditionally been a net importer of pears, but domestic production has been expanding as new orchards mature. "Pear production in Ukraine is growing rapidly, though this isn't yet widely visible because many young orchards have been planted that haven't reached full production capacity," said Oleksandr Pakhno, head of Sady Dnipra and the UApple brand. "Since domestic pear consumption isn't increasing, prices in the Ukrainian market will decline. And while prices within the country are often still higher than on external markets, our company decided to start exploring foreign markets now to work out the logistics and establish Ukraine as an exporter of high-quality pears to premium markets."
Sady Dnipra began cultivating pears several years ago, with its first orchard of Noyabrska and Williams varieties established in 2020. A 30-hectare pear orchard followed in 2021, and the company has since expanded its acreage. "We always take a strategic approach to planning our operations. We decided not to wait until Ukraine's pear market becomes oversaturated, but to act proactively. This way, we're smoothing out potential price shocks not only for ourselves but also for other Ukrainian growers who haven't yet addressed this likely challenge," said Pakhno.
Although the company could currently earn more by selling domestically, it is prioritising the development of export capabilities, focusing on logistics, packaging, and quality standards to support long-term market diversification. "Another important aspect: Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries are accustomed to pear varieties from South Africa. Our varieties aren't yet well-known there, and neither are Ukrainian suppliers. We went through this with our apples, which now have an excellent reputation there. Following this pattern, we're essentially creating a market for Ukrainian suppliers in the Middle East," he said.
According to Pakhno, the Middle Eastern market offers better prospects than the European Union, where competition from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal remains strong. "Since Ukrainian pears have high BRIX levels, they're ideally suited for the Middle East and possibly even for premium Asian markets," he added.
Sady Dnipra, established in 2016, is one of Ukraine's leading fruit exporters, supplying high-quality apples and now pears to markets in the EU, UK, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Source: EastFruit
