This year has brought many surprises to Tajik farmers. EastFruit analysts interviewed Tajik producers, exporters and other participants in the produce business, based on which they identified the TOP-10 events of 2021 that affected the Tajik fruit and vegetable sector.

We also note that over 1.1 million people have visited the EastFruit platform in 2021. Therefore, we used statistics on the most readable fruit and vegetable materials of 2021 on our portal to determine the top events.

1. Spring frosts and low yield of apricots and early cherries

2021 was extremely difficult for Tajik apricot and cherry growers in terms of the impact of weather on the harvest. Unfortunately, this happens every 5-6 years. And with climate change, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.

Two waves of frost – at the end of February and in the first half of March, during the blooming of stone fruits, caused irreparable damage to the harvest of apricots and early cherries. Frosts even harmed vegetables and potatoes in some regions. It is not surprising that our news about the possible loss of cherry and apricot harvest in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan was one of the most read and cited.

Farmers tried to save the harvest by lighting bonfires in the orchards. Also, many farmers became interested in effective frost protection systems this year, and we have prepared a detailed analysis of how they can protect the harvest of fruits and berries from a sharp drop in temperatures available at this link.

Some stone fruit producers in Tajikistan said shortly after the frost that 90-95% of the harvest of cherries and apricots would be lost. Weather disasters resulted into a decrease in stone fruit production. Consequently, the supply on the Tajik market was very limited. Average prices for apricots and cherries in 2021 exceeded last year’s prices by 50% average or more, which also directly affected the segment of dried apricots (you can see how apricots are harvested and dried in Tajikistan here). Many apricot processing enterprises also sharply reduced their processing volumes due to lack of raw materials, and some were idle.

As a result, many plans for the exports of apricots and dried fruits were not implemented, and the contracts were not fulfilled. Prices for dried fruits in the region have largely increased.

It is interesting to note that our material on the importance of dried apricots for Tajikistan published two years ago remained very relevant in 2021.

As for apricots and dried fruits, our project held a unique online conference “Apricot business in Tajikistan: Fresh apricot, dried apricots, dried fruits, organic” in 2021. It helped to look at this traditional business for the country from the point of view of global market trends and gathered a large audience. You can watch the recording of the conference at this link. 

2. Growth in fruit and vegetable exports

According to the Message of the President of Tajikistan to the Parliament, more than 200 thousand tonnes of fruits and vegetables were exported in 2021, which is 70 thousand tonnes more than in 2020.

This became possible due to an increase in the gross harvest and yield, and a gradual but constant increase in the area of ​​orchards and vineyards. The area of ​​orchards and vineyards in Tajikistan has been increasing over the past ten years. New, more productive varieties and cultivation technologies have been introduced, the area of ​​greenhouses and intensive orchards is growing. All this contributes to the growth of production volumes that put pressure on domestic prices and force market participants to look for export opportunities.

In part, the growth in export volumes was influenced by the difficult situation in Kyrgyzstan. Previously, a lot of fruits and vegetables were exported to the EAEU countries across this border without being reflected in customs reporting. Probably not only exports increased this year, but export data became clearer, as well.

Nonetheless, fruit and vegetable exports from Tajikistan could have been higher if frosts had not led to a decrease in the harvest of apricot and cherry. The crisis in Afghanistan in August-October also affected exports, when the government changed and the income level of Afghan population sharply decreased. At the same time, Afghanistan accounted for a large volume of exports of table grapes and lemons from Tajikistan during this period.

According to EastFruit, Russia and Kazakhstan imported twice as many fruits and vegetables from Tajikistan worth $28.6 million in the first 10 months of 2021. The exports of table grapes (340%), cherries (650%), peaches (220%), dried apricots (150%) and watermelon (130% ) increased the most. Of course, the clearance of exports  becomes obvious here. Onions remained the main export commodity, with 85 thousand tonnes having been exported to Russia and Kazakhstan, which is 25% more than last year.

3. Record high prices for lemons at the beginning of the year

Due to the high demand for “antiviral” fruits, their prices increased sharply in early 2021. In particular, lemon prices shot up 3 times at the beginning of the year, and traders made good money on people fearing COVID-19. In fairness, we are glad to note that the prices for lemons in December 2021 remain almost as high as at the beginning of the year – now retail lemons are sold at 15-18 TJS/kg ($1.3-1.6/kg).

The “antiviral properties of lemons”, a low harvest and late start of imports of mandarins from Pakistan, which are considered the cheapest citrus in autumn-winter in Tajikistan, contributed to high prices for lemons. Mandarins in Tajikistan are also considered very healthy for immunity and compete with lemons in the local market. 

4. Record high carrot prices

The year was very successful for those who grew and harvested carrots. According to growers, there have not been such high prices for carrots for at least 10-15 years. Of course, it was unrealistic to expect such a rise in prices and no one could have assumed that they would reach such a high level.

The retail price of carrots was 5 times higher than usual and reached 10 TJS ($0.88/kg). Even those who sowed carrots in March sold them with super-profit in May and June 2021. And this is after several unsuccessful years, when many procurers of carrots bought them cheap during harvesting to resale later at a higher price and went bankrupt.

In this regard, we would like to remind you that storage in the fruit and vegetable sector is not a separate business, but an integral part of growing and selling fruit and vegetables subject to long-term storage. Read more about typical mistakes in planning the infrastructure of the produce market (wholesale markets, storage facilities, distribution centers, etc.) here.

The main reason for the rise in carrot prices to incredibly high levels in Tajikistan and in the vast majority of other countries in the region in 2021, especially from April to July, was the catastrophic shortage of carrots in Russia.

Wholesale prices for quality carrots in Russia exceeded $1/kg in July 2021, and social media erupted with jokes and memes about the cosmic prices of this usually affordable vegetable.

5. Collapse of prices for bell peppers. Price anomalies

Tajikistan experienced an unexpected collapse in the price of bell peppers at the end of September 2021. 11.5 kg of bell peppers can be bought for $1! Naturally, such low prices do not cover the expenses of Tajik farmers for growing these vegetables.

By the way, the drop in the price of bell pepper in Tajikistan happens every year, since growers harvest the entire crop by October and try to sell it quickly. Moreover, bell peppers of all vegetable growers in Tajikistan ripen at the same time. But there has never been such a large drop in their prices in Tajikistan.

Among the reasons are the lack of a cold chain, investment in extending the season and, most importantly, of investment in the development of pepper exports. After all, bell pepper is one of the fastest growing positions in vegetable exports, and the demand for it in Russia, where Tajikistan may well supply its products, was high during this period. We wrote in more detail about this issue, as well as the opportunities it brings, here.

6. Niche breakthrough and value-added opportunities in Tajikistan’s horticultural sector

It is gratifying to see that our efforts to expand job creation and value-added opportunities in Tajikistan’s horticultural sector are bearing fruit. There have been serious shifts in the adaptation of new approaches to the fruit and vegetable business in Tajikistan in 2021.

As part of the project to support the region’s fruit and vegetable trade, implemented jointly by the FAO and EBRD, we held the first online investment conference “Tajikistan’s fruit and vegetable sector – the best investment niches. Where and how is it more profitable to invest?” that aroused genuine interest in new investment niches in the fruit and vegetable business of the country. The recording of the conference available at this link is still watched by many people.

Among other things, the cultivation of saffron in Tajikistan was discussed at the conference. This year, the country has already had the first harvest of saffron. This news caused a real stir in Tajikistan.

Another new undertaking is the construction and launch of a greenhouse for the production of strawberries with low-volume hydroponics. In addition, 6 modern promising varieties of frigo strawberry seedlings were imported from Italy. The project was implemented based on the information provided at the conference.

Thanks to this, dozens of farmers in Tajikistan started working with high-quality planting material, and the country has an opportunity to replace local outdated varieties with modern ones, better in terms of yield, appearance, size and quality of fruits, transportability and, most importantly, taste. This speaks of the prospect of export growth, as Tajikistan could grow greenhouse berries all year round!

The purchase price for strawberries from retail chains in Tajikistan exceeded $15/kg in November-December 2021, which once again proves the investment attractiveness of this business segment. At the same time, the price of strawberries in this period in Tajikistan was higher than in other countries monitored.

Also, a very resonant event was the import and retail sale of blueberries in Tajikistan’s supermarkets – the most expensive berry that can be grown in the country, both for the domestic market and for profitable export. We expect the first blueberry plantations to soon appear in Tajikistan, as we believe it is one of the most promising investment niches in Central Asia.

7. Unprofitable apple growing

Markets in Tajikistan were oversaturated with apples of many varieties since the peak apple harvest in September till December 2021, and farmers complained about record low prices. Despite there being a lot of apples, farmers sold mainly low-quality ones that could not be stored long. In the wholesale trade, apple prices still start from $0.3-0.4/kg.

Notably, farmers in Ukraine and Moldova have long been selling apples of much higher quality at the same and even lower prices, which allows them to earn good money.

Therefore, the complaints of farmers in Tajikistan about the unprofitability of growing apples and low prices are primarily due to an inefficient cultivation. We covered this in the article “Why are Tajik farmers disappointed with intensive apple orchards? ” and analyzed the reasons in the article “Top 10 problems for intensive apple orchards in Central Asia”.

A solution to the problem would be to train Tajik apple growers in orchards in other countries such as Poland, Ukraine or even Moldova. There are also very successful apple projects in Georgia. However, the fact remains – investors are disappointed by the apple orchards and the pace of their establishment has sharply decreased in 2021.

Prices for quality apples in Tajikistan are the same as in Russia, or even higher. Russia, by the way, remains the world’s No. 1 apple importer. Therefore, those who learn how to grow high-quality modern apple varieties in Tajikistan and store them at least until January-February will earn much more than farmers of Ukraine, Moldova or even Russia. The reason is that besides a good climate, Tajikistan has one more important advantage – cheap labor.

8. Onion prices are falling and planted areas are increasing

Onion production in Tajikistan is growing every year, and farmers’ incomes are falling rapidly. In 2021, they reached a critical point, after which reducing the area for the harvest in 2022 is quite possible.

The issue of low prices in Tajikistan and a decrease in exports during the period of peak ripening of onions in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, followed by a slowdown in exports, repeats every year. The price of onions in Tajikistan has dropped to an incredible $0.04/kg in 2021, and some traders have already tried to buy onions in bulk even at $0.03/kg.

Notably, just at a time when Tajik farmers can decide to cut onion prices, export opportunities can significantly improve. Onion prices in Russia and Ukraine have skyrocketed this season. Therefore, there may be good opportunities for exporting onions to these countries from Tajikistan in spring.

9. The first plant for deep freezing of fruits and berries opened

Another interesting investment niche that we mentioned at the investment conference was taken in Tajikistan in 2021. In fact, EastFruit experts have been calling deep freezing of berries, fruits and vegetables one of the most attractive investment niches in Central Asia for many years and informing local investors about this.

As a result, Uzbekistan began to dramatically increase the export of frozen vegetables and fruits in 2021. Finally, the first enterprise for shock freezing of fruits and berries was opened in Tajikistan.

At the end of 2021, Harif LLC completed the construction and commissioning of the first freezing plant, capable of processing up to 15 tonnes of berries, fruits or vegetables per day by static freezing. The enterprise was established in the north of Tajikistan, near the city of Khujand. In spring 2022, the plant will start freezing strawberries, raspberries, cherries and apricots. However, since everything can be frozen, the possibilities of freezing other fruit and vegetable raw materials, such as plums, peaches, melons, rose hips, vegetables and even wild plants, will be considered.

In the future, the enterprise may give an impetus to the cultivation of other fruit and vegetables that are valuable for the global market but were not previously grown in Tajikistan. It is another great way to boost a country’s export earnings.

10. New modern onion drying line

The Khujand Agro company installed a new modern line for industrial drying of onions in February 2021 in Tajikistan. The equipment for the line was imported from the EU, Russia, China and India.

The new processing line is capable of drying up to 30 tonnes of onions per day, which is a great support for vegetable growers in Tajikistan suffering from periodic collapses in onion prices. The segment can become very profitable given the low prices for raw materials in the country and can also bring good additional export earnings to Tajikistan, ensuring the sustainability of the vegetable business.

If you think we missed something important, please let us know in the comments!

Сообщение TOP-10 events in the produce business of Tajikistan in 2021 появились сначала на EastFruit.

It is important for vegetable, fruit, and berry producers to know which horticulture products are growing most significantly in the world since the demand for those products is constantly increasing. Today, the fastest-growing position in terms of world horticulture exports are avocados. Avocado sales in monetary terms are growing by $780 million annually. This information was presented by Andriy Yarmak, an economist for the Investment Centre of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), during the national online conference “Horticulture of Tajikistan – the best investment niches,” which was held on March 16, 2021.

The event was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapienza.

Mr Yarmak noted that along with avocados, the volume of world blueberry exports is increasing annually by 14%, which in monetary terms is $500 million. Also, bananas, sweet cherries, and raspberries round out the Top-5 positions of world horticulture exports.

Among the products whose world trade is declining the fastest, there are popular positions for investing now such as almonds, apples, garlic, and even kuraga (dried apricots). “However, this does not mean that there is a decrease in the consumption of these goods or even a decrease in their sales. The drop in world trade is only an indicator that there is likely to be pressure on prices in these segments,” explained the FAO economist.

For producers in Tajikistan, the main target audience of the conference, Andriy Yarmak recommended using niche approaches in their search for investment-attractive horticulture products. He also gave the example of Morocco, a country with climatic conditions very similar to southern Tajikistan. He explained that Morocco learned how to effectively find attractive horticultural niches and that “Moroccan exports of fresh berries in the winter reached $500 million and greenhouse tomatoes were $800 million. Neighbouring Uzbekistan earned $70 million from greenhouse tomato exports and Turkmenistan earned $30 million. Meanwhile, Tajikistan continues to import greenhouse tomatoes.”

Read also: Avocados on the rise in Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Georgia

Mr Yarmak named some attractive horticulture niches for investment in Tajikistan. Among them were the production of frozen and dried fruit and vegetable products, year-round cultivation and exports of fresh berries, cultivation of seedless early grapes for exports, premium quality large-fruited cherries, greenhouse vegetables, and various types of nuts. For apples specifically, he recommended focusing on growing early apple varieties for exports.

The FAO agricultural market export cautioned that in the course of planning one or more investments in the horticulture business, it is completely unacceptable for a producer’s business plan to be drawn up by sellers of seedlings. Business plans should be prepared by independent specialists. “It is also important to understand that product pricing announced in business planning, as a rule, should assume pricing for modified and finished products. Usually, business plans have had costs for the production of raw materials only. Investments in product refinement are often more expensive than investments in cultivation, but this is often forgotten. Marketing also costs money. Products do not sell themselves but many people forget about this also. Remember, unlimited demand for any product does not exist in nature – demand is always limited,” summed up Andriy Yarmak.

Below is a video of the full version of Andriy Yarmak’s presentation:

Сообщение Avocados are the fastest growing position in world horticulture exports – Andriy Yarmak появились сначала на EastFruit.

The cultivation and harvesting of saffron, safflower petals and other medicinal herbs and spices in Tajikistan for exports to EU countries are considered amongst the most promising investment niches in the horticulture sector of Tajikistan. During last week’s national online conference “Horticulture of Tajikistan – the best investment niches,” FAO international consultant Bakhtiyor Abduvohidov presented the prospects for growing and drying herbs and spices for exports to EU countries using the example of the production of saffron, safflower petals, and other medicinal plants.

The conference was organized by the EastFruit project with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The partner of the event was the agro-media agency Sapienza.

Bakhtiyor Abduvohidov stated that neighbouring Uzbekistan began to develop this niche 4 years ago in 2017. The establishment of saffron plantations on 7 hectares began within the framework of a national project to organize plantations of medicinal plants on the lands of forest resources and farms from 2017-2019. This project provided plans to grow saffron in 23 regions of Uzbekistan on an area of ​​more than 50 hectares with the subsequent sale of such products in two directions: as raw materials for the local pharmaceutical industry and for exports in the form of spices to foreign markets.

Read also: Uzbek-Italian joint venture to create one of the world’s largest saffron plantations

Spice worth its weight in gold

There are no commercial saffron plantations in Tajikistan yet, but there is a keen interest in growing this plant according to expert Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov. The dried stigmas of saffron are used as a spice, colourant, and raw material for the pharmaceutical industry. This product is also called “red gold” because it is the most expensive spice in the world. Only the red stigmas are needed, not yellow ones. Wholesale prices for saffron range from $1,800 to $10,000 per kg, and even up to $40,000/kg in retail. The main saffron producers in the world are Iran, Spain, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Saffron plantations are established in 4-5 years. An average of 4 kilograms of valuable raw materials is produced from each hectare in the first year. By the second year, the yield of saffron reaches 7-8 kg and in subsequent years 15-16 kg/hectare. To get 1 kg of spice, you need to grow, collect and process 150,000-200,000 flowers. The quality of the spice depends on the maturity of the flowers; higher grades of these products are obtained from the stigma of the newest saffron flowers.

The volume of world saffron exports in 2018 amounted to 1,123 tons for a total of $471.5 million (at wholesale prices), of which Iran accounts for 327 tons (29% of the total) and Spain at 287 tons (26%). During the period from 2016 to 2019, the volume of exports from Iran increased by 64% from 200 to 327 tons.

The care of the plant and the entire process of harvesting the stigma of saffron flowers is done by hand (i.e., in a non-mechanized way). Therefore, production is a very laborious process involving a large number of workers both during plant care and harvesting. The production of 1 kg of saffron requires labour resources in the amount of 250-350 man-hours. This means that in Tajikistan where there is an excess of labour resources and labour costs are relatively low, there is a certain advantage over, for example, Spain.

In addition, the organization of the production of saffron requires a lot of investment. Most of the money needs to be spent on the purchase of planting material – about $5.4 per kg. Roughly 0.6 kg of bulbs are planted per 1 square metre; 6 tons of bulbs are obtained per hectare. This means an investment of $32,400 per hectare for seed only. In addition, you need to invest in technology, labour, and other production cycles, including pre-sales training and logistics. In general, the estimated return on investment in saffron production is 2.5 years.

Safflower petals – a less expensive alternative to saffron

Mr Abduvokhidov continued that safflower is an equally promising product from the point of view of investment niches in the horticulture sector of Tajikistan and an inexpensive alternative to saffron. It is an oilseed crop, the main product of which is seeds used for processing into oil. It is grown in arid zones and yields around 3 tons per hectare. Wholesale selling prices are approximately $300 per ton. The amount of investment in safflower production is approximately $500 per hectare while the return on investment is about $900 per hectare. There are already commercial safflower plantations in Kyrgyzstan and its area reaches 3500 hectares!

In turn, an alternative to safflower seeds is to grow safflower for its petals. Safflower petals are also called American saffron, wild saffron, or dye thistle. This product is used as a component for flower teas, natural dyes, and used in medicines as a laxative, diuretic, and choleretic. In addition, it is a cheap substitute for saffron in North Africa, Turkey, Iran, and the Caucasus. Wholesale prices for safflower petals start from $7000 per ton, which is 300-1500 times cheaper than saffron.

Safflower petals are in great demand in EU countries. Harvesting safflower petals will increase income from 1 hectare to 300%. If the profitability of safflower production is as a raw material for safflower oil it reaches an impressive 200% and the profitability of safflower production for petals is 300%.

In addition to saffron and safflower, expert Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov spoke about the prospects for growing other medicinal herbs, spices, and food components in Tajikistan that are in demand in the EU countries. Among them are capers, Rhodiola rosea (or golden root), petals from sunflowers, thyme, peppermint and fragrant mint leaves, mountain lavender, etc.

Below is a video of the full version of Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov’s presentation:

Сообщение Saffron, safflower petals and capers – promising investment niches in Tajikistan появились сначала на EastFruit.

Rhodiola rosea is an interesting niche medicinal plant in terms of profitability for cultivation in Ukraine. The price for this dry root on the domestic market is on average 1,000UAH/kg ($35) with an average yield of 15-20 centners/hectare. The yield of dry raw materials during the processing of Rhodiola rosea is approximately 30-32% meaning from 1 kg of the raw root, you can get 300 grams of dry.

This information was shared by Oleksandr Hubanov, Deputy Chairman of the Ukraine Herbal Products Association (UHPA) and Technological Consultant for Shlosem Ukraine, during the webinar “Growing Niche Medicinal Crops is a Profitable Business” held on October 28, 2020. The event was organized by the Ukrainian Horticulture Business Development Project (UHBDP).

“In terms of its impact on the human body, Rhodiola rosea, or golden root, is on the same level as ginseng. The main feature of the plant is as an adaptogen reducing stress, fatigue, and increasing the efficiency of the human body,” said Oleksandr Hubanov.

He also pointed out that in recent years, the demand for medical preparations based on Rhodiola rosea has sharply increased in the world. For example, the annual volume on the Norwegian market alone is estimated at 25 million euros.

When Oleksandr Hubanov spoke about producing this plant, he cautioned that the germination of Rhodiola rosea seeds is very low. “In the first year of growing the seedlings, they are quite finicky. Therefore, growing Rhodiola rosea in the first year is quite difficult. In biology, there are concepts such as free and bound water. And in the first year, a lot of free water is formed in the roots. If the air temperature rises to 35-40 degrees Celsius, then it is the free water that comes out of the plant roots very quickly, and very little bound water remains. Therefore, within 2-3 days, the plant begins to wither and either disappears altogether, or it dumps the ground mass. That is why, due to the high temperature and the above physiological characteristics of the plant, Rhodiola rosea is rather difficult to grow in the southern regions of Ukraine in the first two years. Starting from the third year of a plant’s life, it can be grown in any regions of Ukraine.”

He also said that the plant is unpretentious to the composition of the soil. “The only thing it doesn’t like is acidic and sandy soils. The latter do not hold moisture very well and during a drought period the plant can drop the groundmass, which negatively affects the yield,” the specialist noted.

Mr. Hubanov explained that the average crop yield per hectare is 15-20 centners, but if the root mass of the plant is in the range of 500-600 grams then the yield will be significantly higher. “The interesting thing is that in order to obtain the most useful raw material of Rhodiola rosea, it must be harvested during the flowering period or even at the end of fruiting. You need to dig out the roots after collecting the seeds of Rhodiola rosea and this period falls at the end of August.”

He also noted that international and Ukrainian prices for Rhodiola rosea root differ significantly. The Ukrainian price of dry root is on average 1,000UAH/kg ($35). Yet, prices on the Chinese and European markets are higher and in the range of $100-250/kg depending on product quality.

Сообщение Rhodiola rosea grows in Ukraine and costs $100-250/kg on Chinese and European markets появились сначала на EastFruit.

Ziziphus fruit are small in size, round or oval in shape and become a reddish-brown colour when ripe. It is known by many names such as jujube or jujuba, unabi (Georgian), Chinese date, Chinese apple, Indian plum, Indian jujube or dunks.

In Ukraine, few people know about this plant. But, due to climate change, now it can be safely grown in southern Ukraine and even in more northern regions. It is drought resistant, but does grow well with humidity. Other advantages are the late flowering of ziziphus. According to the SEEDS website, this plant tolerates cold temperatures down to -25 degrees so May frosts would not harm it. The tree requires minimal pruning, cross-pollinates from insects and matures early.

Seedlings of this unique plant are actively being offered by many Ukrainian garden centers. There are approximately 400 varieties of this wonderful tree.

A huge advantage of growing ziziphus is that the plant does not require much care; it can grow in the poorest soils. A mature tree takes root about 3 metres deep where it has enough moisture. But, due to its deep root system, it does not like surface groundwater (excessive water can make the tree wilt). Also, this plant does not need to be treated with chemicals; it is practically unaffected by pests or diseases.

Read also (in Russian): In the markets of Moldova, buyers are offered three varieties of exotic ziziphus

Ziziphus fruit resemble a date, especially when they are slightly wrinkled. It ripens in late September through October. Harvest of this fruit can reach up to 30 kg per tree! Dried ziziphus fruit can be stored for two years or longer.

Ziziphus tastes like a sour apple without any smell. Experienced farmers advise to let the berries rest in a cold room for a while after picking – this makes the berry become tastier. Due to their sweet taste and chewy texture, this fruit is often dried. But ziziphus fruit can also be eaten fresh or used for making preparations such as compotes, jams, syrups, and candied fruits.

The fruit is also know for promoting good health. Ziziphus contains more ascorbic acid than citrus fruits as well as flavonoids, pectin, carotene, rutin, iodine, cobalt and other elements. It is also used by traditional herbalists to help with improving sleep and decreasing anxiety.

Сообщение Ukrainian climate suitable for cultivating ziziphus fruit появились сначала на EastFruit.

Analysts of the EastFruit project reported the rise in prices for blueberries in Ukraine this week. The main reason for the upward price dynamics is the reduction in the supply of blueberries amid strong demand. Many growers have reported that they have completed the season for the summer varieties of this berry.

At the same time, gardeners currently selling late varieties of blueberries have had the opportunity to hike the prices of their products again. As a result of these price adjustments, blueberries on the Ukrainian market are offered for sale for UAH 150-220 / kg ($ 5.46-8.01 / kg), which is, on average, 10% more expensive than a week earlier.

It should be noted that blueberries are currently one of the most promising niche berry crops in Ukraine. According to experts, at the moment, blueberry is the leader among berry crops in terms of area expansion.

“The reason for such an interest of Ukrainian gardeners in growing blueberries lies in the consistently high prices for this berry on the domestic market and the active demand for it from the European Union countries, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. It should be noted that the consumption of blueberries continues to grow continuously, not only in Ukraine but throughout the world. – comments on the situation Olexander Khorev, head of the project “APK-Inform: Vegetables and Fruits.” “Almost all large manufacturers have either already certified their production in accordance with the requirements of international standards, or are planning to do so in the near future to gain access to foreign markets.”

As a reminder, a detailed overview of the current situation on the blueberry market in Eastern Europe and the prospects for the next five years will soon be available in the study “Tall Blueberry Market in Eastern Europe – 2020“. The study will be released on August 25, and for more detailed information, you can refer to the “APK-Inform: Vegetables and Fruits” project:

Yevgeniy Kuzin: +380 96 583 63 23, eugenekuzin@gmail.com

Aleksandr Khorev: +380 67 634 39 80, fruit.chief@fruit-inform.com

Сообщение Ukraine: Reduction in supply of blueberries provoked an increase in prices in this segment появились сначала на EastFruit.