Weather conditions in Ukraine have had a significant impact on the production of a variety of fruits, says Volodymyr Gurzhiy of Ukrainian apple exporter USPA Fruit: "Ukraine has recently been affected by several waves of spring frosts. In some regions, these were not just typical short-term frosts but extended periods of negative temperatures lasting throughout the day, even during daylight hours, which is a rare phenomenon. Unsurprisingly, this has impacted the harvest across the country."
For stone fruits, the losses are quite heavy in certain regions, according to Gurzhiy. "The Transcarpatian region suffered the most, particularly because it traditionally experiences the earliest blooming in Ukraine. The frosts coincided with the flowering period of stone fruit trees, resulting in substantial losses, especially for cherries and apricots. These losses are significant now, as the harvest season for these fruits is underway. Other fruit-growing regions have also sustained damage."
As Ukraine has lost some of its territory since the war started, a specific cherry variety is no longer present for Ukrainian residents, Gurzhiy explains: "Unfortunately, there is no information from the southern part of the Zaporizhzhia region or the left bank of the Kherson region, as these areas remain under Russian occupation. Consequently, produce from these areas is not reaching Ukrainian markets. These regions were previously key areas for cherry production. As a result, the well-known regional brand 'Melitopol Cherry' is no longer available to Ukrainian consumers."
"All of these factors have considerably affected the stone fruit harvest. As a result, we are already witnessing increased imports of cherries from Spain, Greece, and Moldova, and apricots from Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Greece."
For blueberries, the outlook is somewhat more optimistic, Gurzhiy explains. "Despite some frost damage during the flowering stage, the overall volume is expected to be high. Many predicted major losses, but as Ukraine continues to expand its blueberry plantations every year, and with more orchards reaching fruit-bearing age, I continue to anticipate a record harvest. This bodes well for Ukrainian blueberry exports, and we may even see a new record set this year."
Gurzhiy states that the situation is more complex for apples and pears: "Pears remain a net import product for Ukraine, with domestic production falling short of demand. Most pears are imported from the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Poland. Apple orchards in the Transcarpathian region were hit hardest by the frosts. This region typically leads the market at the start of the season. Given the potentially weak start to the harvest, coupled with record-high prices at the end of the 2024/2025 season, we expect high export prices at least through August and the first half of September, possibly even throughout September."
"Fortunately, other apple-growing regions such as Bukovyna and Podillia were less impacted. We estimate losses of around 15–20%. However, considering that several recent seasons have been affected by late spring frosts, this year's crop can still be considered normal in terms of volume. That said, quality has been affected, and a larger share of CAT 2 apples is expected. This will require more thorough sorting. The price for processing-grade apples will also play a significant role. If market conditions mirror last season, many growers may divert CAT 2 apples to processing, reducing the overall volume of apples available for the fresh market. This scenario could support stronger prices for export-grade apples."
Ukraine will still be able to export some of its apples: "Export-oriented varieties will still be available in sufficient volume, but Royal Gala remains in short supply. Ukrainian exporters have become proficient at shipping this variety in nearly any quantity, and demand is already exceeding supply. Those who secure contracts early and are not discouraged by higher prices will be in the best position to benefit," Gurzhiy concludes.
For more information:
Volodymyr Gurzhiy
USPA Food LLC
Cell / WhatsApp / Viber: +380 50 925 57 32
Email: [email protected]
www.uspafood.com