Market activity in Eastern Europe and Central Asia continued increase during the previous week while prices for fruits and vegetables have mostly declined.
EastFruit team offers comprehensive fruit and vegetable market analyses of the previous week for Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Middle East based on the offers and bids at the largest regional EF trade platform with 26,000 participants from 50 world countries (for the extended list of produce trade platforms see this article).
In Ukraine, the market has seen a substantial decrease in the price of carrots and onions, driven by growers, who accelerated sales of their stocks. This trend is accompanied by a sharp decline in the quality of onions stored in warehouses, leading to a significant drop in their prices as well. Conversely, the prices of cucumbers and sweet peppers have continued to rise, with tomatoes also selling at higher prices compared to the previous week. Eggplants have become more expensive, while zucchinis have seen a price reduction. Additionally, there has been an increase in the price of high-quality garlic. In the greens segment, dill and parsley prices have decreased, whereas green onions and lettuce have become more expensive.
The fruit market in Ukraine has also experienced changes, with oranges following lemons in price reduction. Apple prices have dropped, although certain varieties remain more expensive. Persimmons continue to see a price increase, and the price range for mandarins has widened.
In Uzbekistan, farmers have raised the prices of potatoes, and tomatoes are selling at higher prices than the previous week. Mandarins have become cheaper, while oranges have seen a price increase. The price range for pears has narrowed. Notably, the export of grapes from Uzbekistan has surged, increasing 2.2 times over the past eleven months.
Egypt has also witnessed a rise in potato prices. The market has introduced the first price offers for sweet peppers. Additionally, Egypt continues to expand its export of frozen strawberries to Brazil, with shipments increasing thirtyfold over the past five years.
The EastFruit Trade Platform has observed a 10% increase in the number of offers posted by participants, with notable growth in sales from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Poland. However, there has been a decrease in product offerings from Iran, while Greece has re-entered the market. The top five most active countries in terms of the number of offers remain unchanged: Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Iran, Egypt, and Poland.
Onions have emerged as the top-selling product, with Ukrainian participants significantly increasing their sales. There has also been an increase in the supply of beet roots, white cabbage, and carrots, with Kazakhstan being the largest buyer of Uzbek carrots. Meanwhile, the number of potato sellers continues to decline. Other top-selling vegetables include broccoli and Chinese cabbage, with active sales from Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Additionally, there has been a rise in the supply of red onions, cauliflower, and greens.
In the fruit segment, apples continue to dominate sales, although their supply is decreasing. Moldova’s apple harvest for 2024 is estimated at 150-160 thousand tons. Grapes were offered more frequently, while persimmons and mandarins were less common compared to the previous week. Mandarins were available from Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Overall, the EastFruit Trade Platform has seen increased activity, with a diverse range of products being traded. The trends indicate dynamic changes in prices and supply, influenced by various factors such as quality, seasonal availability, and regional demand.
The use of the site materials is free if there is a direct and open for search engines hyperlink to a specific publication of the East-Fruit.com website.
