During the past week, prices for blueberries, watermelon, melon, and a wide range of vegetables continued to drop in Ukraine and Uzbekistan, according to EastFruit’s analysis of its regional trading platforms. Meanwhile, trade activity reached a record high for 2024, with the number of product listings on the EastFruit Trade Platform surpassing all previous weekly figures. Ukrainian beetroot remained the top-selling item, while tomato supply surged, and demand for sweet corn and plums picked up noticeably.
Trade activity intensifies, Ukraine leads the market
The total number of products listings posted on the EastFruit Trade Platform reached its highest point in 2024. However, the geographic range of active countries narrowed to eight. Ukraine maintained its leadership in both product supply and demand, followed by Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iran, and Georgia. Notably, suppliers from the Netherlands reappeared on the platform this week, while the number of offers from Georgia declined.
“Ukrainian Viagra” – beetroot remained the undisputed leader in terms of sales, with volumes still growing. Carrot listings also increased. In contrast, the number of ads for potatoes, onions, and especially white cabbage – now the least represented item from the traditional “borsch basket – declined. The number of tomato sellers doubled, and offers of cucumber and sweet pepper became more frequent. Sweet corn ranked among the most actively traded products, while radish supply also rose again in Ukraine.
Fruits in focus: Watermelon dominates, melon enters top ranks, plum supply rises
The offer of watermelon doubled over the week, pushing it to the top of the fruit and berry sales rankings. Albanian watermelons, in particular, are gaining popularity across European markets. Similarly, the volume of Uzbek plums on the platform doubled, while trade in apricots, peaches, and nectarines became more active. For the first time this season, melon entered the top-sellers list, primarily due to strong trading activity from Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, cherry listings dropped significantly.
Among other notable trends: table grapes supply continues to rise in Uzbekistan, while Ukrainian producers increased offers of both black currants and blueberries. For a detailed overview of current blueberry prices in Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, and Uzbekistan, refer to this EastFruit article.
Buyer activity triples; berries and stone fruits lead demand
Demand has also soared – purchase bids nearly tripled compared to the previous week. The strongest interest remained in berries and fruits for freezing, particularly raspberries and sour cherries. Potatoes and strawberries were also in high demand.
At the same time last year, watermelon was the top-selling product, followed closely by melon. Ukraine had just begun marketing early-season apples, while cherry had already fallen out of favor. Sales of the traditional borsch vegetables were declining, with white cabbage absent from the top sellers. Conversely, sweet corn and garlic made strong returns to the top of the sales charts, with garlic being actively traded by sellers from four different countries.
Price dynamics by country: Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Egypt
Ukraine:
All “borsch basket” vegetables from the new harvest dropped in price, including tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, napa cabbage, and cauliflower. Garlic prices also fell. Among fruits and berries, cherries, apricots, and strawberries became more expensive, while fresh market blueberries, raspberries, and currants all declined further amid growing supply. Watermelon price offers began to emerge on the platform for the first time this season.
Uzbekistan:
Cherry prices continued to climb, along with those for apricots and sour cherries. Meanwhile, increased grape supply caused prices to ease slightly. Watermelon and melon prices collapsed. Potatoes and tomatoes kept getting cheaper, while cucumber prices nearly doubled. Domestic almond prices rose sharply, driven by Turkish supply disruptions and local weather issues.
Egypt:
Egyptian exporters issued initial price offers for frozen strawberries and mangoes. Other major price levels remained stable week-over-week.
Technology trade slows, packaging still leads
Activity in the EastFruit Fruit Technology group declined compared to the previous week. Packaging and containers remained the most traded items, though seller numbers decreased. Listings for vegetable seedlings also dropped. Fertilizer offers remained steady, while greenhouse equipment on offer included thermal fans, shade nets, drip tape, agrotextiles, and various greenhouse films.
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