In an insightful survey by EastFruit, conducted anonymously on its Telegram channel, Eastern European farmers shared their crop expansion plans. The survey drew responses from 323 individuals, with 174 specifying their crop of choice, while others participated to observe the results.
The survey’s outcomes were intriguingly unexpected yet rational. Despite setbacks faced by investors who stored onions for resale in the 2023/24 season, onions have surprisingly emerged as the crop earmarked for significant expansion.
The decision to expand onion cultivation is underpinned by a clear economic rationale. Onion prices in Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland for the 2023/24 season were notably favorable for producers. Ukrainian prices hovered around the average of recent years.
Meanwhile, Polish prices were substantially above average!
In Moldova, onion cultivation proved particularly profitable, with prices in March significantly outpacing those at harvest time, a unique occurrence in the region. However, profits from storage remained elusive.
Delving back into the survey findings, a notable 44% of respondents are planning to increase their onion cultivation areas.
Potatoes came in second, with 28% of Eastern European potato farmers looking to enlarge their cultivation areas. Given that potato prices in the EU shattered records, surpassing even those of onions, and Ukrainian potato prices delighted growers for the first time in years, this interest in expansion is understandable.
Cabbage also features prominently, commanding relatively high prices and experiencing demand that surpasses supply within the region.
Conversely, only 9% of respondents are prioritizing carrot cultivation, which aligns with the current trend of decreasing carrot prices in Ukraine, where they are notably cheaper than usual.
The agricultural landscape in Moldova and Poland presents a more favorable picture. Moldova is witnessing the nascent development of this segment, while Poland benefits from its integration into the vast European Union market, which facilitates the management of surplus production and the mitigation of deficits.
More detailed forecasts for each of the above-mentioned crops are available for EastFruit subscribers, with tailored content available in English, Russian, and Ukrainian. The subscription details will be announced soon on our platform.
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