The raspberry freezing season has begun in Serbia, a country that leads the global frozen raspberry market in terms of export revenue. According to EastFruit analysts, the start of the 2025/26 season in Serbia is marked by high tension: purchase prices for the initial raspberry batches fluctuate around 3 euros per kilogram, with some instances dropping to 2.5 euros.
Serbian farmers express serious dissatisfaction with this price level, claiming that 4 euros per kilogram is the breakeven point. Meanwhile, analysts warn of potential risks for processors and traders due to high prices, which may destabilize the market in the future. Moreover, trade representatives assert that many Serbian frozen raspberry producers are already effectively bankrupt and facing significant challenges in timely payment for delivered products.
In fact, according to EastFruit experts, the berry and fruit freezing industry in Serbia is currently at risk. Therefore, this article will examine the current situation, farmers’ positions, experts’ forecasts, and the global context affecting the raspberry market.
Farmers’ Discontent: Fight for Survival
Serbian raspberry producers openly voice their concerns. AgroTV reports that farmers find the price of 3 euros per kilogram insufficient to cover production costs. One farmer noted, “At these prices, we are operating at a loss. Labor costs, fertilizers and plantation maintenance have increased, but purchase prices do not reflect these realities.” Another farmer added, “We have invested significant funds into our farms, and we need a fair price to continue working.” Farmers insist that a minimum acceptable price is 4 euros per kilogram; otherwise, growing raspberries loses economic viability.
This situation reflects a broader issue: the rising cost of production amid stagnant or even decreasing purchase prices. In certain regions of Serbia, raspberries are more than just a business; they are a way of life, and current conditions threaten their stability.
EastFruit Forecast: High Prices as a Hidden Threat
Contrary to farmers’ demands, EastFruit analysts caution that high purchase prices may present challenges for processors and traders, many of whom, especially in Serbia, are already facing significant financial difficulties. Since food producers using frozen raspberries always aim to minimize production costs, high raspberry prices may lead them to substitute raspberries with cheaper products. Consequently, FAO economist Andriy Yarmak warns that frozen raspberry prices could start falling in January 2026. According to him, such price cycles for frozen raspberries occur approximately every four years.
In Serbia, a significant reduction in raspberry production volumes is expected in 2025 due to adverse weather conditions, including frosts and snowfalls. Although Serbia’s main competitors, Poland and Ukraine, have also been affected by the weather, the percentage of “summer” raspberries, which are the foundation for exports in these countries, is significantly lower than in Serbia. Incidentally, Ukraine, which became the leader in net frozen raspberry export volume in 2024, has the lowest percentage of summer raspberries in frozen berry production among the three leading countries.
Read also: Ukraine Again Sets New Records in Frozen Raspberry Exports
Global Context: Supply Reduction and New Players
The market situation is further complicated by developments in other producing countries. According to EastFruit, Moldova lost up to 50% of its 2025 raspberry harvest due to severe frosts. This significant supply reduction may drive prices up in the short term. Serbia also faced another challenge on top of the frosts—a snowfall that covered raspberry plantations, potentially exacerbating losses.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is confidently rising to the forefront. By focusing on autumn varieties, Ukraine has the opportunity to become the leader in both net and gross exports in the 2025/26 season, especially if production in Serbia and Poland continues to decline. Unlike Serbia and Poland, Ukrainian raspberry processors are in a fairly strong financial position and are currently actively investing in sorting and marketing frozen raspberries.
Conclusions: Seeking Balance in Uncertainty
The raspberry market, both in Serbia and globally, is at a crossroads. Farmers are seeking higher prices, citing increased costs. There is a critical shortage of labor for raspberry harvesting in most countries worldwide. The areas under raspberries in Poland and Serbia are shrinking annually due to labor shortages. In Ukraine, this problem is also becoming increasingly acute.
On the other hand, the food industry is not overly concerned with these issues; their priority is to balance production costs. For them, expensive raspberries, when prices approach 4.5-5.0 euros per kg, signal the need to find cheaper alternatives, such as garden strawberries, for example.
Freezers suffer significant losses every 4-5 years. Sometimes, seasons can be unprofitable for two consecutive years, worsening the financial condition of the sector and preventing them from being able to pay higher prices per kilogram of raspberries. Many processors are even abandoning work with this highly risky crop.
According to EastFruit, for those involved in raspberry cultivation, this season could be significantly better than the next one or even the next two. If the forecast of a price drop for finished products in the first half of 2026 comes true, the purchase prices for raspberries for freezing might be considerably lower than in 2025.
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.
