This year, farmers in Moldova and Ukraine have harvested a record potato crop, leading to a significant decrease in prices for this product — the cost has reached a three-year low. Due to overproduction, farmers in both countries are actively storing potatoes, hoping that prices will rise during the cold season.
This is reported by Business • Media
Increase in Sown Areas and Yields
The Ukrainian Potato Producers Association notes that this year the area planted with potatoes has increased by approximately 20%. This growth is attributed to the decisions of medium and large farms to expand their plantings after last year’s high prices. Yields have also risen — some producers are reporting increases of up to 30% compared to last year. However, at this point, only about half of the area planted with potatoes has been harvested.
Market Situation and Imports from Abroad
Currently, prices in wholesale markets remain stable: in Lviv, a kilogram of potatoes costs around 12.5 hryvnias, while in Kyiv, it ranges from 12 to 15 hryvnias. In September of last year, the price of potatoes was at a similar level.
Farmers are storing significant volumes of product in hopes of price increases during the cold season.
Due to low potato prices in neighboring countries, Ukraine has already begun importing this product, particularly from Poland, where prices are even lower. Experts point out that there is a significant shortage of potato storage facilities in Ukraine, so with the onset of winter, dependence on imports will only increase.