Exports of soft berries from Ukraine, mostly bilberries and blueberries (61%), in 2017 in monetary terms amounted to $66.5 million, according to the Ukrainian Horticultural Association. “Currently 44% of all exports in terms of volume and 47% in monetary terms fall on forest fresh and frozen bilberry,” it said. At the same time, association analysts expect that the volume of export of this berry will decrease as will its share in exports.
“The main reason is that the number of people who collect forest berries is declining, because many of them left for the EU for seasonal earnings due to the visa-free regime,” the experts explained.
According to the report, about 6% of exports of berries in monetary and quantity terms fall on wild forest blackberry. In general, “wild” berries account for about 50% of all exports in quantitative terms and more than 50% in revenues. However, the association said if not to take into account “wild-growing” berries, then the share of raspberry in exports in 2017 was 59%, that of garden strawberry some 24%, and blueberries some 15%.
