Organic farm OSO Organic in Ukraine, founded by Yuliia Voroshchuk, has grown rhubarb since 2018 and remains one of the country's few organic producers of the crop. In 2021, the farm had Ukraine's largest organic rhubarb plantation at 10 hectares. Over the past four years, the area has been reduced to 2 hectares, while the business has expanded its assortment with hazelnuts, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, and honeysuckle.
Voroshchuk said the rhubarb area was cut partly because the farm could not control weeds in the organic field. "Rhubarb is a crop that requires either constant hoeing or herbicides. We did not cope with it, so we reduced the area, but improved the quality and changed the planting approach," she said.
The Ukrainian rhubarb season has already started. According to Voroshchuk, current sales have begun at UAH 275/kg (€6.15/kg). She said this year the crop is in relatively good condition and yields are expected to be good.
OSO Organic grows two rhubarb varieties, Victoria and Champagne, which have been used since 2018. The farm relies only on its own planting material for renewal. The farm is certified organic and has been undergoing annual certification since 2018. Voroshchuk said the price premium for organic rhubarb varies depending on the conventional market and supply. In some years, the premium may be 40%, in others 30%, and in some cases 100%.
On exports, Voroshchuk said the farm previously targeted foreign markets but stopped because its price was higher than in Poland. "We saw that our price was higher than, for example, in Poland. So we stayed in Ukraine," she said. At the same time, she noted that even a farmer with a 2-hectare plantation can export if they have organic export certificates, a registered legal entity, VAT payer status, and a EUR.1 certificate.
She said the rhubarb market remains undersupplied. According to Voroshchuk, demand is higher than supply because large areas of rhubarb in Poland were grubbed up, while processing plants buying frozen rhubarb were left without raw material. "For the last 1.5-2 years, everyone has been chasing rhubarb across Ukraine," she said. She expects the market deficit to continue for another two years, with prices still rising before a later decline.
Source: kurkul.com
