--- title: "Potato prices in Ukraine rise after seasonal drop: expected to reach 23 hryvnias per kilogram by end of 2026" description: "In Ukraine, potato prices have resumed growth after a seasonal decrease, with the average retail cost reaching 17.23 UAH/kg in October. By the end of 2026, the vegetable may rise in price to 19–23 UAH/kg." date: 2026-10-30T12:47:02.415Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/potato-prices-rise-ukraine-2026 tags: [potato-prices, ukraine-economy, food-prices, retail] author: "Darya Fomina" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Potato prices in Ukraine rise after seasonal drop: expected to reach 23 hryvnias per kilogram by end of 2026 ![Elderly shopper selects and bags potatoes in a plastic bag at a supermarket](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/30/kartofel-dorozhet-do-konca-2026-goda/kartofel-dorozhet-do-konca-2026-goda-1.webp) ## Key Points - The average retail price of potatoes in October 2026 rose to 17.23 UAH/kg, which is 13.6% higher than in September. - Compared to October of last year, potatoes went up in price by about 11%. - By the end of 2026, under the baseline scenario, the price could reach 19–23 UAH/kg provided there are no storage losses. In Ukraine, after the typical autumn seasonal price drop, potato prices have resumed their upward trend. According to the UCAB analytical department, the average retail price of the vegetable in September 2026 was 15.17 hryvnias per kilogram, and by October it had risen to 17.23 UAH/kg. Thus, the price increased by 13.6% in just one month. Compared to last October, potatoes have also become more expensive by about 11%, indicating a steady rather than a one-off price movement. ### Seasonal logic: why potatoes get cheaper first As Maxim Hopka, head of the UCAB analytical department, explained in a commentary to RBC-Ukraine, this dynamic is typical for this time of year. In August and September, significant volumes of potatoes enter the market directly from the fields at the peak of mass harvesting. Overproduction during these months objectively puts pressure on prices and causes them to drop. This is why consumers usually experience the most affordable potato window in the second half of the year. ### Transition to storage and supply contraction However, as active harvesting concludes, market dynamics change. Part of the crop is put into long-term storage, and the volume of potatoes available for immediate sale decreases. This creates prerequisites for further price growth: supply on store shelves becomes less redundant, and the "here and now" supply contracts. The transition from the active harvest dumping phase to the storage phase is a key factor that triggers upward price dynamics starting in October. ### Forecast until the end of 2026 According to Maxim Hopka's forecast, potatoes will gradually become more expensive until the end of 2026. At the same time, sharp price spikes are not expected unless there are significant crop losses during storage — the condition of storage reserves will be the main risk factor for consumers. Under the baseline scenario, the average retail price of potatoes by the end of the year could be around 19–23 hryvnias per kilogram. ### Discrepancies in autumn dynamics data It is worth noting that the picture of autumn dynamics looks uneven across various reviews. While UCAB data shows average retail prices growing in October, a number of market reviews record weekly decreases in potato prices at the retail level in mid-October. Such discrepancies are largely explained by differences in methodologies: the national average retail price and point market ranges for a specific week reflect different slices. In any case, all sources confirm that in the autumn season of 2026, potato prices in Ukraine fluctuated actively, and the baseline guide for consumers for the coming months remains a gradual increase within the projected range. ## Accounts differ ### Potato price dynamics in October 2026 - **UCAB / RBC-Ukraine:** The average retail price of potatoes in October rose to 17.23 UAH/kg (+13.6% compared to September). ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/kartoplya-mozhe-podorozhchati-23-griven-kilogram-1793363796.html)) - **ua.news:** During the week of October 9–16, the market price of potatoes decreased from 11–14 to 10–13 UAH/kg. ([ua.news](https://ua.news/ru/ukraine/kapusta-kartoplia-ta-ogirki-deshevshaiut-shcho-vidbuvaietsia-z-tsinami-v-ukrayini)) - **glavred.info:** Potatoes got cheaper for the second week in a row, prices fell by an average of 14%. ([glavred.info](https://glavred.info/economics/ceny-na-populyarnyy-ovoshch-rezko-obvalilis-skolko-prosyat-za-kilogramm-10790219.html)) *Where they agree:* All sources confirm that during the autumn period of 2026, potato prices in Ukraine fluctuated noticeably. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Картофель может подорожать до 23 гривен за килограмм: что будет с ценами до конца года](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/kartoplya-mozhe-podorozhchati-23-griven-kilogram-1793363796.html) - Primary source: September 15.17 UAH/kg, October 17.23 UAH/kg (+13.6%), +11% compared to last October, forecast 19–23 UAH/kg by the end of 2026 (Maxim Hopka, UCAB). - [Капуста, картофель и огурцы дешевеют: что происходит с ценами в Украине](https://ua.news/ru/ukraine/kapusta-kartoplia-ta-ogirki-deshevshaiut-shcho-vidbuvaietsia-z-tsinami-v-ukrayini) - Records a weekly decrease in the market price of potatoes (from 11–14 to 10–13 UAH/kg for the week of October 9–16) — a different slice than the UCAB average retail. - [Сколько будет стоить картофель нового урожая в 2026 году: стоит ли уже заготовлять запасы на зиму](https://www.obozrevatel.com/ekonomika-glavnaya/fea/skolko-budet-stoit-kartofel-novogo-urozhaya-v-2026-godu-stoit-li-uzhe-zagotovlyat-zapasyi-na-zimu.htm) - Подтверждено по источнику obozrevatel.com - [Цены на популярный овощ резко обвалились: сколько просят за килограмм](https://glavred.info/economics/ceny-na-populyarnyy-ovoshch-rezko-obvalilis-skolko-prosyat-za-kilogramm-10790219.html) - Reports a decrease in potato prices by ~14% over two weeks and 37% lower than the same period — a discrepancy with the October average retail growth by UCAB. ## FAQ ### How much did potatoes cost in Ukraine in October 2026? According to UCAB, the average retail cost of potatoes in October 2026 was 17.23 hryvnias per kilogram. ### How much did potatoes rise in price over the month? Over October, the price grew by 13.6% compared to September (from 15.17 to 17.23 UAH/kg), and compared to last October — by about 11%. ### What is the potato price forecast until the end of 2026? Under the baseline scenario, the average retail price may be about 19–23 hryvnias per kilogram; sharp spikes are not expected if there are no significant storage losses.