Blackcurrants remain one of the most underestimated niche berry crops in Ukraine, although their commercial potential extends far beyond fruit sales alone. Such crops can become an effective solution for growers with limited land resources who are seeking higher returns per hectare.
This was stated by Oleksandr Yareshchenko, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences and Leading Researcher at the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, during the VI conference “PROFITABLE AGRIBUSINESS 2026: Strategies. Innovations. Investments,” EastFruit reports.
According to the expert, niche berry crops can help farmers improve profitability, especially in a context of limited land availability and labour shortages. Among the most promising crops in this category, he highlighted blackcurrants.
“This crop is already quite widespread in Ukraine. There is a sufficient range of blackcurrant varieties, and the market volume is stable. It can be harvested mechanically, which is a major advantage today, given the shortage of human resources, especially during harvest,” said Oleksandr Yareshchenko.
Another key advantage of the crop, he noted, is its export potential. At the same time, blackcurrants are particularly attractive because income can be generated not only from the berries.
“Blackcurrants have export potential. Demand has remained high in recent years, and most importantly, this is a crop in which not only the fruit has commercial value. Blackcurrant buds are also a marketable product, with a price of around UAH 2,500 per kilogram, and even fresh leaves can be sold,” the scientist explained.
This makes blackcurrants appealing not only as a berry crop for the fresh market or processing, but also as a multi-purpose crop with several revenue streams.
However, the crop also has its limitations. According to Oleksandr Yareshchenko, the southern regions of Ukraine are not particularly suitable for blackcurrant cultivation, as the crop is not well adapted to dry climatic conditions. As a result, obtaining a stable and полноценный harvest in those areas is not always possible.
The expert also drew attention to the cyclical nature of demand and prices in the blackcurrant market.
“Since 2009, we have been monitoring blackcurrant price trends. An interesting cycle of approximately 12 years can be observed. We saw a price peak in 2012–2013, followed by a gradual decline. Now the market is rising again. Around 2025–2026, we are once again reaching the next price peak. Therefore, we expect that from 2027 onwards, the market will most likely enter another downturn for this crop,” Oleksandr Yareshchenko forecast.
Thus, the current period may be favourable for blackcurrant producers, although investors in this crop should take into account both its regional growing requirements and market cyclicality.
The VI conference “PROFITABLE AGRIBUSINESS 2026: Strategies. Innovations. Investments” was organised by Sapienza.media, an agri-media and PR agency, and the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UFVA) together with sectoral associations.
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