Spring frosts in Ukraine hit the fruit harvest: what will rise in price the most.

Decrease in fruit harvest due to spring frosts

Due to frosts in spring that damaged blooming fruit trees, experts expect a significant decline in the fruit yield in Ukraine this year. According to their forecasts, the harvest may consist of only about 30% of the usual volumes. Although the situation in the regions varies, overall the frosts have impacted the yield in approximately half of the orchards.

The Cherkasy region has been hit the hardest, where in many areas, there is no expected harvest of fruit crops, particularly apples. In Vinnytsia, cherries will yield less than half of the usual amount. 'The situation varies by region, but overall, the forecast is not very optimistic,' noted Mykola Bublik, director of the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine.

The most vulnerable are apricots and peaches, as they bloom earlier and suffer more from adverse weather conditions. The situation with cherries is somewhat better – their harvest may reach up to 70% of the usual amount.

How fruit prices will change

Due to the decrease in yield, fruit prices in Ukraine will definitely rise. However, experts do not consider this critical. For example, apricots, peaches, and cherries may rise in price by only 10-15%, as their demand is seasonal. As for apples, their price dynamics is still unclear.

An economist predicts that the prices of apricots, peaches, and cherries will only rise by 10-15% since these fruits do not have stable demand. 'If it goes higher, then no one will buy them at all,' he explains.

It should also be noted that the decrease in production volumes may lead to shortages of certain types of fruits in the market.