Recent developments have indicated a concerted effort to depress raspberry prices within the Ukrainian and Polish markets. According to EastFruit analysts, the forthcoming raspberry season is poised to commence significantly earlier than historical norms, a trend observable even in Ukraine’s eastern territories where early raspberry varieties are already nearing maturity.
This year’s season is set to deviate from traditional harvesting schedules, and market specialists anticipate a notable departure in pricing structures compared to the previous year.
Andriy Yarmak, an economist with the FAO’s Investment Department, observed, “As 2023 drew to a close, it became evident that there were substantial grounds for the anticipated surge in wholesale raspberry prices within Ukraine, particularly within the freezing segment. The forecast was further solidified following a series of frost events that inflicted damage on raspberry crops in both Ukraine and Poland, compounded by snowfall-induced damages in Serbia.”
In March 2024, we released a raspberry price forecast that bodes well for producers.
Nonetheless, the potential for price increases has alarmed those in the freezing industry. In response, there has been a proliferation of misinformation across social networks, purporting extremely low raspberry purchase prices in Poland—allegedly below production costs. These claims have instilled undue concern among many small-scale producers, particularly those reeling from the previous year’s challenges.
Contrary to these misleading narratives, EastFruit’s ongoing global market surveillance suggests that such communications are merely a futile attempt to undermine raspberry pricing ahead of the season’s onset. The reality is that the European market is experiencing a robust demand for raspberries, a sentiment exacerbated by the unmet expectations of Moroccan frozen raspberry shipments. Morocco’s raspberry yield has yet to recover from the preceding season’s adverse weather, resulting in limited quantities available for freezing due to the overwhelming demand for fresh consumption.
Read also: Impact of May Frosts on Ukraine’s Blueberry and Raspberry Crops
As a result, Europe is entering the new season with critically low raspberry reserves, facing the likelihood of diminished production and prices for premium raspberries that are projected to meet or surpass 3 euros per kilogram.
It’s important to note that the raspberry market exhibits a degree of cyclicity, a concept we have thoroughly expounded upon in our analysis.
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