The first large batches of early potatoes of the new crop began to arrive at the wholesale markets of the capital of Uzbekistan in the past 7-10 days. As expected, the first wholesale batches of early potatoes this year became available on the markets three weeks later than last year, EastFruit analysts say.
As of April 7, 2023, the average wholesale price for early potatoes was 16 000 UZS/kg ($1.41). For comparison, the first wholesale batches of early potatoes of the new crop last year were available in the markets of the capital of Uzbekistan on March 11-17, 2022 at the same price. However, prices for early potatoes tend to decline rapidly and last year was no exception. From March 17 to April 7 last year, the average wholesale prices for them decreased from 16 000 to 9 000 UZS/kg (from $1.38 to $0.79), i.e. by 44% in three weeks.
As of April 7, 2023, the average wholesale price for early potatoes is 1.8 times higher than last year.
We remind you that at the beginning of March 2023, EastFruit wrote that this year the planting of potatoes in the southernmost region of Uzbekistan, Surkhandarya region from where the first wholesale batches of early potatoes enter the capital’s markets, started about three weeks later than in 2022. Thus, the harvesting of potatoes has shifted by the same period. The reason for this delay is the abnormal cold observed in Uzbekistan in January of this year.
At the same time, current wholesale prices for last year’s potatoes (of the 2022 harvest) in Uzbekistan are close to last year’s levels. As of April 7, 2023, the average wholesale price was 4 000 UZS/kg ($0.35) – 4 times cheaper than early potatoes. However, both early and last year’s potatoes are in demand.
Assuming that the dynamics of prices for early potatoes will repeat that of previous years and decrease at about the same pace as in previous years, we can expect a significant drop in wholesale prices for early potatoes in the next few weeks.
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