Sweet Shortage: Why an Anomalous Spring Promises Expensive Apricots and Peaches

Summer in Ukraine may turn out to be less sweet than we are used to. An anomalously cold April has dealt a serious blow to orchards, putting the harvest of heat-loving crops at risk. Experts warn: apricots, peaches, and early strawberries may become a real shortage, and their prices may rise noticeably.

Cold Blow to Orchards

The main problem lies in climate anomalies. Spring frosts, which should have remained in the past, have become fatal for flowering trees. Analyst of the Ukrainian Club of Agribusiness Maxim Gopka notes that the blow hit precisely those crops that form the basis of the summer market.

The greatest losses are expected at the beginning of the season, when domestic products only begin to appear on the shelves. It is during these weeks that the market is most vulnerable: if the harvest does not meet expectations, the shelves will remain empty, and prices high.

Import as a Savior

The situation with apricots and peaches looks most alarming. The loss of part of the harvest in the regions will inevitably lead to a shortage, and the market will be forced to compensate for the gaps through imports. Prices for these fruits this season will depend directly on how actively they will be imported from abroad.

However, economists are not in a hurry to sound the alarm. Executive Director of the "Economic Discussion Club" Oleg Pendzin believes that the shortage will not become critical for the population. According to him, apricots and cherries do not belong to socially significant products without which it is impossible to live. Unlike bread, potatoes, or cereals, these fruits are rather a pleasant addition to the diet.

What to Expect for the Buyer

In case of a shortage of domestic harvest, the market will quickly switch to imported supplies. An increase in the import of fruits from Turkey and Central Asian countries is expected. This will help fill the shelves, but, as practice shows, imported products are always more expensive. Thus, a sweet summer this year may become noticeably more expensive for the wallet of every Ukrainian.