Why have cabbage prices risen?

The price increase is caused by a supply shortage due to the transition from early to late varieties, hot weather, and pests.

How much has cabbage become more expensive?

On average, prices have risen by 59% compared to last year and by 37% over the last week.

Should we expect a price drop?

A drop is unlikely in the near future, as farmers plan to raise prices until the mass harvest of the late crop.

Cabbage Crisis: Prices for the New Harvest in Ukraine Surge 59% Due to Shortage and Heat

The Ukrainian food market is witnessing a rapid surge in prices for one of the key autumn products — white cabbage. As of August 17, 2026, the cost of the new harvest is already showing an alarming trend, significantly exceeding indicators from previous periods. Market experts are recording a sharp price spike, which analysts link to a complex of factors: from climate anomalies to biological threats to the harvest.

Sharp Price Surge: Growth Statistics

According to the latest data, Ukrainian farms are currently offering white cabbage at prices ranging from 15 to 22 hryvnias per kilogram. This is 37% more expensive than just a week ago, when the maximum price for the product did not exceed 18 hryvnias per kg. However, the most dramatic changes are observed in comparison with last year: current prices are, on average, 59% higher than in the same period of 2025. This rate of growth threatens the product's accessibility for a wide range of consumers and signals structural problems in the agricultural sector.

Seasonal Gap and Climate Factors

The main cause of the price shock, experts say, is a critical shortage of supply in the market. At this moment, most farms have already completed the season of selling early cabbage varieties, but late varieties have not yet started to enter the market in mass quantities. This "seasonal gap" coincided with unfavorable weather conditions. The hot weather, characteristic of the summer of 2026, significantly slowed down the ripening of the new harvest, pushing back its arrival on shelves and creating an artificial shortage during a period of high demand.

Impact of Pests and Diseases on Harvest Quality

The situation in the fields is exacerbated by biological threats. Diseases and pests are actively spreading in the beds, leading to a deterioration in product quality. Visual defects, rot, and leaf damage make a significant portion of the harvest unsuitable for sale in the premium segment. As a result, the volume of quality cabbage in the market decreases, allowing producers to dictate high prices for the remaining goods. Farmers are forced to factor into the cost the risks of losing part of the harvest and the expenses of fighting pests.

Forecast: Prices Will Continue to Rise

Demand for white cabbage remains quite high, despite the price increase. The combination of active consumer interest and limited supply continues to push prices upward. According to the analytical agency EastFruit, if current sales rates are maintained, Ukrainian farmers plan to continue raising wholesale prices. It is expected that the situation will stabilize only after the mass harvest of late varieties, but in the short term, consumers should prepare for further price hikes of this basic product.

Cabbage Crisis: Prices for the New Harvest in Ukraine Surge 59% Due to Shortage and Heat