For Ukrainian vegetable and berry producers, 2025 has been a period of serious challenges as well as valuable new experience. However, despite weather-related difficulties, many producers still managed to generate profits, reports EastFruit.
In an interview with SEEDS, Taras Bashtannyk, President of Ukrainian Horticulture Association (UHA), shared his assessment of which crops proved the most profitable in the outgoing year.
Vegetables: The “Borscht Set”
First of all, it should be noted that due to the war, official statistics are not fully available for all crop categories. Unofficially, although the year is ending, there are still carry-over stocks, making it difficult to establish a precise balance. Nevertheless, one clear conclusion can be drawn: Ukraine is experiencing an oversupply of all vegetables traditionally included in the so-called “borscht set” — onions, cabbage, carrots, beetroot, and potatoes. All of them without exception.
The reason is straightforward: very high prices for these crops a year earlier stimulated farmers to significantly expand planting areas. Unfortunately, this has once again demonstrated a lack of strategic foresight among producers. One cannot simply expand acreage indiscriminately, knowing that neighbors are likely to do exactly the same. The result is oversupply.
Those who may remain at least marginally profitable — or at least avoid losses — are producers with large, high-quality vegetable storage facilities, who are able to hold their harvest until late winter or early spring. At that point, prices may increase somewhat. Currently, prices for several vegetable categories are below production costs — in some cases, several times lower.
As for greenhouse vegetables, there is little new to report. Ukraine has only a few greenhouse complexes producing mainly cucumbers and tomatoes. During winter, these vegetables are very expensive due to extremely high energy costs. While domestic produce may be of higher quality than Turkish imports, it is often twice as expensive. This situation is not new and is unlikely to change in the coming years.
Apples
The situation with apples is somewhat better. While yields could have been higher, the 2025 harvest was clearly better on average than in the previous year. There is hope that next year will be even more successful.
Prices are also encouraging. They cannot be described as exceptionally high, but they are solid and allow professional apple producers to remain profitable. Ideally, this profit will be reinvested not in expanding orchards, but in building modern storage facilities. As with vegetables, the lack of post-harvest handling and storage capacity remains Ukraine’s “Achilles’ heel.”
By “good prices,” we mean approximately 20–30 hryvnias per kilogram, which is a healthy price level for apples. Export prices are slightly higher, although they involve additional costs.
Also read: Ukraine’s “Sady Dnipra” Exports Fresh Pears to the Middle East for the First Time
Pears
Pears remain a niche crop in Ukraine. Production volumes are limited, and supply is consistently insufficient. The crop is relatively difficult to grow, which explains its scarcity. Pears traditionally command high prices, and imports — currently from Belgium and the Netherlands — remain present on the market. Overall, the situation for pears is stable, with high prices for quality fruit.
Berries
Strawberries
The strawberry harvest in 2025 was approximately half the size of the previous year, which itself had been unsuccessful. From a yield perspective, the season was weak. For some varieties, particularly early ones, losses reached up to 90%, primarily due to late spring frosts rather than early ones.
However, high prices helped compensate for these losses. Whereas last year the average wholesale price for strawberries was around 60 hryvnias per kilogram, this year it rose to 120–130 hryvnias — a twofold increase.
Traditionally, Ukraine grows berries mainly for the domestic market, both fresh and frozen. Exports remain limited. As for expectations, the key factor is simply having a harvest. Current production areas are not large enough to support significant exports, especially given Ukraine’s higher production costs compared to North African countries such as Morocco and Egypt.
Blueberries
Blueberries also suffered yield losses in 2025. Early varieties recorded losses of 20–30% compared to both plans and the previous year, while in Zakarpattia losses reached as high as 90%. Later varieties performed somewhat better. For some key mid-season varieties, such as Bluegold, losses reached up to 100%, representing extremely severe damage.
As with strawberries, higher prices — around 40–50% above last year’s levels — partially offset these losses. Although Ukraine did not set export records for blueberries this year, there is a very positive trend in exports to Europe and the United Kingdom. There is strong confidence that in the coming years Ukraine will secure a leading position among European blueberry exporters.
Raspberries
The situation with raspberries is quite positive. Ukraine may set a new export record — perhaps not in volume, but certainly in value terms. While summer varieties suffered losses due to spring frosts and winter conditions, prices remained strong. On average, processors paid around 110–120 hryvnias per kilogram for quality raspberries.
For the second consecutive year, Ukraine appears to be reaching new export highs. However, 60–70 thousand tonnes per marketing year is not the country’s limit. With continued development, Ukraine could export an additional 10 thousand tonnes or more in the coming season.
Overall, market conditions for raspberries are favorable, allowing producers to operate with confidence. Ukraine has been moving steadily in this direction for the past five years, and the progress is evident.
