At the end of 2025, Ukraine confirmed its status as the world’s largest exporter of frozen raspberries, and in the 2026 season, the key vector for the development of the fruit and vegetable sector against the backdrop of stagnant domestic consumption will remain the expansion of exports, said Taras Bashtannik, president of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UFOA).
“We have been the world’s largest raspberry exporter for two years in a row. According to the results of the 2025 season, exports are expected to reach about 80,000 tons, compared to 65,000 tons a year earlier. The potential for growth remains,” he said during the conference “Profitable Agribusiness 2026.”
According to the expert, a similar trend is observed in the blueberry segment, where production is growing by 15-20% annually. Bashtannik emphasized that the domestic blueberry market has reached a consumption “ceiling” of about 10,000 tons, so further development of the industry is only possible through exports. Currently, Ukraine exports about 8-10 thousand tons of this berry, while world leaders such as Chile and Peru supply up to 400 thousand tons to foreign markets, which indicates significant room for replacement of players in the global market.
Detailing the forecasts for the 2026 season, the president of the UPOA stressed that cheap vegetables and fruits should not be expected. He expressed confidence that the world has entered a phase where the opportunities for low-cost production have been exhausted, and Ukraine remains competitive only because of its lower costs compared to EU countries.
The high profitability of certain crops in previous years (sometimes up to 700% above cost—IF-U) is prompting farmers to rapidly expand their acreage without proper analysis. Bashkanik recalled that this has already led to a “slump” in prices for borscht vegetables in 2025. However, in the new season, the risk of overproduction of carrots or beets will remain and will depend on the timing of spring sowing.
According to the expert, the key obstacle to the development of the fruit and vegetable sector will be the shortage of skilled and unskilled workers. As a result, the industry will face the need for either total mechanization or even the involvement of foreign labor.
Bashkanik predicts that fruit and vegetable producers will traditionally experience problems in the 2026 season due to extreme weather conditions, ranging from drought to abnormal rainfall. This will require farmers to increase their investments in irrigation and protection systems.
Given the high cost and long logistics, particularly to Middle Eastern markets, the success of the season will depend not on the volume of the harvest, but on the ability to sell it to foreign markets.
“The issue of overproduction is not about how much we harvested, but whether we were able to sell it. If we work well for export, everything will be fine. Ukraine has an advantage in the diversity of its soil and climate zones, and if you choose the right varieties, you can invest in any crop — from pears to Jerusalem artichokes,” summarized the president of the UPA.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center released a video dedicated to global raspberry production https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IHaYTp6IbCM
