According to a report from the EastFruit project, the raspberry sales season in Ukrainian horticultural farms is drawing to a close, and notably, it’s ending earlier than usual this year. Producers attribute this early conclusion to the fact that they started selling raspberries earlier in the season. Additionally, the high temperatures and drought experienced during the second half of the summer led to faster ripening and, consequently, an earlier end to the season for everbearing raspberry varieties.
Comparatively, last year during the same period, the selling prices for the last batches of raspberries in the Ukrainian market were, on average, 73% higher than what we’ve seen this season. Market analysts attribute this price disparity to the increased raspberry production in the country this year. However, despite this increased production, many producers are disappointed with the season’s results. Apart from the low prices, Ukrainian farmers faced significant challenges, such as a labor shortage and a substantial rise in harvesting costs. Given these conditions, horticulturists stress that market prices often failed to cover even a portion of the production expenses for everbearing raspberry varieties.
