The strawberry season has just begun in Ukraine, two weeks later than usual. Unseasonably cold temperatures in April and May have delayed ripening in open fields. So far, only producers using protected cultivation have started harvesting, highlighting a growing trend: weather-resilient production.
One company leading the way is Finprom Agro, located near Kyiv. From day one, the company opted for tunnel and greenhouse production as the only predictable model in an unpredictable climate. The project launched in 2023 with an initial investment of €250,000 in 2 hectares of greenhouses. In 2024, the company added 4 hectares of tunnels, investing an additional €200,000. They plan to expand by 4 hectares annually.
Finprom Agro focuses exclusively on fresh market supply, not processing. Their main variety, Joly (Italy), is known for its large, bright-red berries with firm flesh and exceptional aroma. According to the company, customer demand exceeds current supply.
Wholesale prices reflect market tightness: strawberries are currently selling at around €6.50/kg, up from €3.50/kg at the start of the 2023 season. While prices may decline slightly in the coming weeks, they will unlikely reach last year's lows of €2–€2.50/kg.
"Open-field strawberry farming in Ukraine is like a lottery," says managing partner Oleksandr Dubinchuk. "A single frost or rain can destroy everything. In protected cultivation, yields and revenue are stable, even if payback takes four years."
In 2024, the company achieved 15 tonnes per hectare, an average yield for the early segment.
The business is led by Serhiy Velykdanov, who diversified into agriculture after part of his office infrastructure was destroyed during the war. With southern Ukraine, once a key berry-producing region, deeply affected, he saw an opening.
"We're building a long-term model, not chasing short-term profits," says Velykdanov. "Protected cultivation is like insurance for fresh produce. It gives us control in a business where the weather used to decide everything."
Source: agroportal.ua