EastFruit team provides its weekly market update based on the trends observed at the EastFruit Trade Platform during the first week of March 2025.
Key Market Highlights
The past week saw a 5% increase in the number of listings on the EastFruit Trade Platform, signaling heightened trading activity. Notably, sellers from Turkey, Greece, and Georgia re-entered the platform, while Ukraine’s supply dwindled. Meanwhile, participants from Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iran, and Macedonia ramped up their activity. As a result, the top five countries by listing volume shifted to Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iran, and Poland.
Vegetable supply grew steadily, with white cabbage retaining its position as the top-selling product. Ukraine and Uzbekistan remained the primary suppliers, joined by Macedonian sellers offering young cabbage. Table beets also saw an uptick in seller numbers, while onions, carrots, and potatoes experienced a decline in supply. In Kazakhstan, actual potato stocks fell below expectations, prompting imports. Ukrainian farmers, particularly from southern regions and Zakarpattia, boosted sales of cucumbers and radishes from greenhouses, while Uzbekistan increased its offerings of broccoli and daikon.
In contrast, fruit supply remained limited, with apples dominating the listings. Modest offerings of strawberries from Greece and watermelons from Iran emerged, but overall fruit activity lagged behind vegetables.
Demand Trends
Among buyers, radishes and cucumbers topped the demand charts, followed closely by table beets. Participants from the UAE actively sought suppliers of onions and oranges, reflecting niche regional needs. Last year at this time, white cabbage also led sales, bolstered by early offerings from Egypt, while cucumbers reclaimed a spot in the vegetable sales top tier and apples dominated the fruit segment.
Price Dynamics by Region
Ukraine
In Ukraine, carrots began to decline in price, while table beets saw an uptick. Cucumbers and sweet peppers continued their upward price trend, but tomatoes softened. Cauliflower prices rose, while zucchini became cheaper. Pumpkin prices increased, and in the greens segment, lettuce saw a price drop. On the fruit side, bananas, grapes, pomegranates, and mandarins all grew more expensive.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan recorded a continued drop in cucumber prices, offering relief to buyers. Tomato prices stabilized for the first time since early February. Pears and oranges also declined, and the price range for mandarins narrowed, indicating a more consistent market.
Egypt
Egyptian potato and iceberg lettuce prices fell, benefiting buyers. However, export prices for Egyptian oranges climbed, reflecting strong international demand.
Broader Market Activity
The EastFruit Fruittechnology group saw growing engagement, with a surge in listings for fruit and berry seedlings. Sellers of strawberry cassette seedlings and greenhouse vegetable transplants became more active, alongside offerings of carrot seeds, fertilizers, and plant protection products. Technological materials like thermal sensors, agrotextiles, greenhouse films, and tunnel films also featured prominently.
Conclusion
The past week underscored a robust increase in vegetable supply, led by staples like white cabbage, cucumbers, and radishes, while fruit offerings remained subdued. Price movements varied by region, with notable declines in carrots (Ukraine), cucumbers (Uzbekistan), and potatoes (Egypt), contrasted by rising costs for cucumbers and peppers in Ukraine and oranges in Egypt. As trading activity intensifies, participants across platforms are adapting to shifting supply and demand dynamics, setting the stage for an evolving market landscape in the weeks ahead.
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