The raspberry harvest in Ukraine in 2026 will likely be lower than last year’s, but the decline in supply was offset by record-high purchase prices, said Taras Bashtannik, president of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UFVA), in an interview with SEEDS published on September 2, 2026.
According to him, it is still too early to talk about a new record in terms of physical raspberry production volumes.
“I wouldn’t rush to declare a record in terms of volume, that’s for sure. In my opinion, there are fewer raspberries this year than last. In monetary terms, it could be a record or a repeat of last year’s result, because the price of raspberries this year is even higher than last year,” Bashtannik noted.
The most telling factor of the season was the sharp rise in the cost of raw materials for processing. According to the UPOA president, purchase prices for raspberries intended for processing and freezing reached 193–195 UAH per kg, excluding VAT, during certain periods.
Bashtannik noted that the Ukrainian market had never previously recorded such high purchase prices. Thus, the lower yield this season was largely offset by the higher price of the berries.
At the same time, the Ukrainian raspberry market remains predominantly export-oriented. According to the UPOA president’s estimate, 90–95% of the raspberries produced in Ukraine are exported, while domestic consumption remains relatively low.
“I would say that 90–95% of raspberries are exported. And this trend will most likely continue,” he said.
One of the main constraints on further production growth remains the high demand for manual labor. According to Bashtannik, raspberries are essentially harvested by hand, and the possibilities for mechanizing this process are still limited. This hinders rapid expansion of cultivation areas even when market prices are high.
High purchase prices also confirm the shortage of high-quality raw materials on the European market. According to EastFruit, Ukraine already ranks first in the world in net raspberry exports, and export revenue in the 2025/26 season reached a record $250.8 million, an increase of approximately 65% compared to the previous season.
Thus, the 2026 season for Ukrainian raspberry producers could set a record not in terms of harvest volume, but in terms of the value of products sold. How the situation develops will depend on the harvest in Ukraine and major European producing countries, as well as on demand from companies that freeze and process berries.
agricultural sector, Bashtannik, BERRIES, EXPORTS, RASPBERRIES, UKRAINE
According to Experts.news, Ukraine has a strong chance of taking first place in the world during the 2026/27 season—not only in terms of net exports but also in terms of the total volume of frozen raspberry exports—amid a sharp decline in harvests among its main competitors, Serbia and Poland, according to the August analytical report by the Ukrainian Berry Growers Association.
The association estimates that Serbia’s raspberry harvest in 2026 could total about 30,000 metric tons, compared to approximately 65,000 metric tons in a typical season—the lowest figure in about 30 years. Production was affected by spring frosts, plant diseases, heat, and extreme drought: Serbia received only about 7 mm of precipitation in August.
The situation has also worsened in Poland, where spring frosts damaged berry plantations. The reduction in supply immediately affected European prices: the cost of Serbian IQF raspberries reached about 7 euros/kg, which is approximately 51% higher than last year’s level.
This creates a favorable price window for Ukrainian suppliers. Ukraine is already the world leader in net exports of frozen raspberries—that is, export volume minus imports. During the 2025/26 season, from June 2025 to May 2026, the country exported 63,300 metric tons of frozen raspberries for a record $250.8 million. Export revenue rose by 65% year-over-year, and the average price was 3.96 euros per kilogram.
The new season also began with high prices. In June 2026, Ukraine exported approximately 2,150 metric tons of frozen raspberries at an average price of 4.14 euros per kilogram. The main export destinations were the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany.
Over the past few years, Ukraine’s frozen raspberry sector has significantly strengthened its position in the European market. Based on 2024 results, EastFruit analysts estimated Ukraine’s exports at approximately 65,1 thousand metric tons, while Serbia exported about 67,7 thousand metric tons. However, Serbia simultaneously imported about 4,700 metric tons of berries for subsequent re-export, so its net exports amounted to about 63,000 metric tons. Ukraine, which imports virtually no raspberries, became the world leader in this category for the first time.
Poland also remains one of the largest hubs for the global trade in frozen raspberries; however, its role is largely tied to the processing and re-export of imported berries. According to EastFruit estimates, in 2024, more than half of the frozen raspberries exported by Poland consisted of imported raw materials, a significant portion of which came from Ukraine. Poland’s net exports were estimated at only about 16,000 metric tons.
At the same time, Ukraine is gradually reducing its dependence on Polish intermediaries. Between 2022 and 2024, Poland’s share of Ukrainian frozen raspberry exports fell from 63% to 35%, while the combined share of Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and France rose to 48%. During this period, direct shipments to Germany increased 4.5-fold, to the Czech Republic 4.2-fold, and to Austria 33-fold.
The key factor in Ukraine’s ability to maintain its leading position remains the quality of processing. A significant portion of the added value is generated not during the berry cultivation stage, but during sorting, individual quick freezing (IQF), packaging, and direct sales to European retail chains and industrial consumers. Therefore, further growth in processing capacity may be no less important than the expansion of the plantations themselves.
According to the latest available FAOSTAT data for 2024, Russia remained the world’s largest raspberry producer—at approximately 213,800 metric tons—followed by Mexico in second place with 175,500 metric tons and Serbia in third with 94,000 metric tons. Next were the United States with approximately 82,1 thousand metric tons and Poland with about 76,9 thousand metric tons. Ukraine produced about 33,6 thousand metric tons. These figures reflect domestic raspberry production specifically and do not correspond to export rankings, as part of the harvest is consumed domestically, and some countries actively import the berries for processing and re-export.
In the global trade of frozen raspberries, Ukraine, Serbia, and Poland remain the key players. Ukraine has led in net exports since 2024, while Serbia has maintained a slight lead in gross shipments. In the broader HS 081120 tariff category, which also includes frozen blackberries and some related berries, Chile is among the major exporters; therefore, customs rankings cannot be fully equated with the ranking for raspberries specifically.
If the forecast by the Ukrainian Berry Growers Association proves accurate, the 2026/27 season could be the first in which Ukraine simultaneously ranks first in the world in both net and gross exports of frozen raspberries.
During the 2025/2026 season, Ukraine earned a record 250.8 million euros in revenue from frozen raspberry exports, a 65% increase over the previous season.
Between June 2025 and May 2026, Ukrainian companies exported 63,300 metric tons of frozen raspberries, increasing the physical volume of shipments by 7%, according to data from the July analytical report by the Ukrainian Berry Growers Association, published on August 7.
Thus, the main factor driving the growth in export revenue was not an increase in volume but a significant rise in the price of Ukrainian berries. The average export price was 3.96 euros per kg, which is 54% higher than in the previous season.
In May, the final month of the 2025/2026 season, Ukraine exported approximately 2,900 metric tons of frozen raspberries at an average price of 3.95 euros per kilogram. Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany were among the main export destinations.
This revenue growth continues a trend that began as early as the 2025 calendar year. At that time, frozen raspberry exports rose from 55,700 metric tons in 2024 to 60,700 metric tons—an increase of approximately 9%—while their value jumped from 129.3 million euros to 216.7 million euros.
The average price of Ukrainian raspberries rose significantly throughout last year. While it stood at about 2.78 euros per kg at the beginning of 2025, it exceeded 3.8 euros in the second half of the year and reached 4.29 euros per kg in December.
Poland Remains the Main Market
Poland remains the largest buyer of Ukrainian frozen raspberries and is also a major European processing and re-export hub.
In 2025, Ukraine supplied 24.1 thousand metric tons of frozen raspberries to Poland. The Polish market accounted for 39.7% of Ukraine’s total export revenue from this product, or 86.1 million euros. A year earlier, that share stood at 31.8%.
Germany is the second-largest market. Direct Ukrainian shipments there in 2025 totaled 14.1 thousand metric tons, compared to 15.4 thousand metric tons the previous year. At the same time, the “Berry Growers of Ukraine” Association suggests that a portion of German demand is increasingly being met through Polish intermediaries.
The Czech Republic retained its third-place position. Ukraine supplied approximately 10,000 metric tons of frozen raspberries there annually, and the value of shipments in 2025 rose from 24.1 million euros to 39.1 million euros, primarily due to higher prices.
The price situation remains favorable for Ukrainian producers
The “Berry Growers of Ukraine” Association expects that in the 2026/2027 season, the situation on the European market may remain favorable for Ukrainian exporters.
Among the factors supporting prices, analysts cite problems with the raspberry harvest in Serbia and the uneven condition of plantations in Poland. In its July report, the association estimates Serbia’s 2026 harvest to be 20–30% below normal levels due to drought.
This potentially reduces supply from one of Europe’s traditionally largest producers and exporters of frozen raspberries and opens up additional opportunities for Ukrainian suppliers.
As a result, Ukraine is gradually increasing not only the physical volume of berry exports but also the value of its shipments. In the 2025/2026 season, price increases had a significantly greater impact on export revenue than increases in tonnage, bringing revenue from frozen raspberries to a historic high of 250.8 million euros.
Galfrost LLC (Zhovkva, Lviv Oblast) plans to raise $28.5 million to expand its integrated fruit processing complex and build new production and cold storage facilities in Lviv Oblast, according to the Ukraine Investment Guide 2026, presented at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2026) in Gdańsk.
The total project budget is $35.5 million, of which the company is prepared to finance $7 million with its own funds and plans to raise an additional $28.5 million through project financing.
The project involves expanding production and cold storage capacity, launching new product lines, and increasing output of freeze-dried fruits and berries, individually quick-frozen (IQF) products, and thermostable fillings for the confectionery industry. The capacity of the cold storage complex is planned to be increased to 10,000 metric tons.
The project is expected to take two years to complete, with the new facilities expected to begin operations in 2029–2031, according to the catalog.
Galfroast LLC was founded in 2007. The company specializes in the processing, freezing, and freeze-drying of fruits and berries, produces fruit ingredients for the food industry, and exports its products to foreign markets. According to the company, it processes approximately 6,000 metric tons of frozen products and produces about 100 metric tons of freeze-dried fruits and berries annually.
Last year, Galfrost LLC increased its revenue by 20.3% to 603.5 million UAH and reported a net profit of 5.9 million UAH, compared to a net loss of 10.2 million UAH the previous year.
Ukraine is rapidly increasing its exports of frozen raspberries, blackberries, and other berries: their value rose from $53.4 million in 2023 to $114.6 million in 2024 and $176.4 million in 2025, according to a study of Ukraine’s berry and nut sector presented at the forum “Development of Exports in Ukraine’s Berry and Nut Sector” in Kyiv last week.
According to Olga Gvozdeva, advisor to the director of the State Agency “Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development,” the main markets for these products are Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and France, reported a correspondent for the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
According to the study, exports of fresh berries—blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries—declined to $22.4 million in 2025 after growing from $16.8 million in 2023 to $27.9 million in 2024. The main buyers remain the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Moldova.
According to the study, exports of shelled walnuts, after increasing from $68.1 million in 2023 to $82 million in 2024, fell to $61.9 million in 2025. The largest buyers of this product were France and the Netherlands.
Exports of walnuts in shell also declined—from $8.6 million in 2024 to $5.5 million in 2025, with Iraq remaining the main market, the document states.
“After a decline in 2022, we are now gradually catching up to previous levels,” Gvozdeva noted.
The study of Ukraine’s berries and nuts sector was prepared by the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development based on data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the State Customs Service of Ukraine, and FAOSTAT.
Ukraine may face a critical shortage of seasonal workers for raspberry harvest in 2026, the head of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association (UFOA) Taras Bashtannik said.
According to him, without attracting foreign labor, the country will not be able to harvest raspberries and maintain its position as an exporter of this berry.
As noted in the publication, the area of raspberries in Ukraine in 2024 was about 5 thousand hectares, and the need for labor is estimated at about 15 pickers per 1 hectare. Thus, the season requires more than 70 thousand workers only for raspberries. Labor shortages are also affecting blueberry and strawberry farms, as well as apple orchards.
Volodymyr Gurzhyi, the head of USPA Fruit gardening company, said that in 2026 Ukrainian companies plan to import workers to orchards, including from Bangladesh and Nepal, similar to the practice in Serbia. At the same time, taking into account the growth of orchard areas, the additional need may amount to at least 100 thousand pickers.
