Trade activity on the EastFruit Trade Platform remained high over the past week, with watermelon once again leading in sales, while berries and several stone fruit categories experienced price declines amid growing seasonal volumes. The number of sweet corn sellers doubled, and grape and apple trade intensified. These trends, along with changing price dynamics in Ukraine and Uzbekistan, shaped the regional fruit and vegetable trade landscape this week.
Key Highlights
- Watermelon retained its top position by volume, with growing supply
- Grape and apple sales accelerated
- Plum and nectarine remained actively traded
- Apricot dropped out of the weekly top
- White cabbage listings increased for the second consecutive week
- Sweet corn sellers doubled week-over-week
- Ukrainian traders increased offerings of eggplant and garlic
- Watermelon and melon prices rose in Uzbekistan but declined in Ukraine
- Potato demand grew significantly
Regional Participation
Sellers from eight countries posted listings on the EastFruit Trade Platform. While the overall volume of new listings remained stable, Ukrainian activity increased notably. Moldovan sellers also became more active, and Georgian listings reappeared. Meanwhile, participation from Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Iran declined slightly.
Top 5 countries by listing volume this week:
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Egypt
- Iran
- Moldova
Vegetables: Growth in Corn and Garlic Offers
- Carrot continued to dominate vegetable sales despite slightly lower supply
- Most “borsch basket” vegetables were offered less frequently, except for white cabbage, which saw a recovery
- Tomato, cucumber, and sweet pepper listings increased
- The number of sweet corn sellers doubled, suggesting rising production and availability
- Ukrainian sellers expanded their listings of eggplant and garlic, though irrigation is now essential for garlic cultivation in southern Ukraine
Fruit Market: Seasonal Shifts and Price Corrections
- Watermelon was once again the top-selling fruit, with volume still climbing
- Plum and nectarine remained actively traded in Uzbekistan and Ukraine
- Peach sales halved, and apricot dropped out of the top list altogether
- Grape and apple trade gathered momentum, with Moldovan new-season apples fetching prices double those of last year
Buyer Activity and Demand
Strongest buyer interest was recorded for:
- Potatoes
- Sweet corn
- Cucumber and tomato suppliers
Demand for frozen fruits and berries (especially sour cherry and raspberry) remains high, though the number of buyer listings in this category declined slightly.
One year ago, the top-selling product was tomato, and similar trends were observed in the recovery of white cabbage, and growing availability of eggplant, garlic, apple, and grape. At that time, cucumber sales were scarce, with higher prices in Ukraine and lower prices in Uzbekistan compared to current levels.
Price Movements – Ukraine
- Beet and carrot prices increased
- White cabbage prices decreased despite better sales
- Tomatoes became more expensive
- Cucumber and sweet pepper prices declined
- Broccoli and napa cabbage became pricier, while cauliflower prices dropped
- Eggplant and sweet corn continued to trend downward
- Garlic became more expensive, despite growing supply
Berry and fruit segment:
- Blueberries continued their steep decline
- Raspberries, red and black currants fell again
- Garden strawberries fell after three weeks of price growth
- Watermelon and melon prices dropped further due to oversupply
- Pear, sour cherry, and plum all declined
- Apricot and peach showed wider price variation
- Only sweet cherry posted a price increase
Price Movements – Uzbekistan
- Watermelon and melon prices rose
- Plum prices fell slightly
- Kishmish grape continued to decline, while black grape prices increased
- Cucumber prices extended their upward trend
Apricot season is nearly over, and Uzbekistan is well-positioned to rank second globally in fresh apricot exports this year.
Technological Listings
Listings in the EastFruit Fruittechnology group remained steady.
- Packaging remained the most actively traded product, though seller numbers declined
- Vegetable seedlings were listed more frequently
- Other equipment offered included:
- Potato harvesters
- Greenhouse thermal fans
- Temperature sensors
- Fruit calibrators
- Shade nets
- Mulch films and tunnel covers
- Drone-based plant protection services were also promoted.
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