Ukraine is importing considerably more potatoes this year. Up to and including August, imports were even 6 times higher than last year. In addition to the Netherlands and Russia, importers are also buying potatoes from Poland for the first time, where prices have fallen sharply.
According to customs data, Ukraine brought into the country $51,3 million worth of potatoes from January to August. The UNN news site reports this. This is an increase of 503% compared to the same period last year, when potato imports amounted to $8,5 million.
Top 3 suppliers
Most potatoes come from Belarus (42%), but the Netherlands is also an important supplier. More than 23% of the imported potatoes in Ukraine come from Dutch soil. Russia completes the top 3, where 14% of the potatoes came from. Ukraine is, among other things, a seed potato destination for the Netherlands. Last year, almost 4.000 tons of seed potatoes went there.
News sources also report that Ukraine is importing potatoes from Poland for the first time this year. The immediate reason would be the significantly lower potato prices. “Domestic consumption in Poland has fallen significantly,” said Taras Bashtannyk, chairman of the Ukrainian fruit and vegetable association UPOA. "The drop in demand from the catering segment has put pressure on prices."
Lower prices
Prices of potatoes sold through Polish wholesalers are said to be around €16 per 100 kilos. And in Ukraine around €19 per 100 kilos. According to analysts, Ukrainian potato prices were about 30% lower this year than last season. In 2019, the country faced scarcity due to a mediocre harvest, which caused prices to rise and the country had to import significant quantities of potatoes for the first time.
Traditional market in development
With a production of about 22 million tons per year, Ukraine is the fourth potato producing country in the world, after China, India and Russia. However, the market is still quite traditional with a lot of small-scale production and mainly local sales. The average yield in Ukraine is 16,6 tons per hectare. No more than 3,5% of the cultivation would be intended for processing. Although there are ambitions to professionalize and improve the potato industry expand processing. After all, the demand for fries is increasing, also in Ukraine.