The inconsistency of Ukraine’s biosecurity measures with those of the importing countries hinders exports of fruits and berries from Ukraine, the Ukrsadprom association has stated.
According to a press release of the association, today, unlike the main exporting countries, Ukraine demonstrates sharp fluctuations in the volume of exports and instability of supplies.
“For comparison, in recent years exports of fruits and berries from Poland exceed $1 billion, while for Ukraine this volume reaches $150-200 million, so Ukraine exports six times less fruit and berry products than its European neighbor,” the report says.
The association is convinced that the coordination of mutual recognition of biosecurity measures will allow establishing trade, ensuring the social and economic development of Ukraine, stimulating the development of the horticulture and berry-growing sector in Ukraine and help attract investments in long-term agricultural and infrastructure projects.
To solve the problem of biosecurity measures inconsistency, Ukrsadprom appealed to First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv with the request to instruct his ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumers’ Rights Protection to coordinate the mutual recognition of biosecurity measures with the potential importing countries for exports of fruits, berries, as wells as planting stock.
The cost of exports of fruit and berries from Ukraine totaled $57 million in January-March 2018, which is 68% more than a year ago. According to the Ukrsadprom association, the key exported fruit were walnuts ($42 million), frozen berries ($10 million), apples and pears ($5 million). “Out of these groups of fruit and berries only for frozen berries the volume in kind and in cost declined. The volume of walnuts exported from Ukraine grew from 7,000 to 13,000 tonnes, and apples and pears from 6,000 to 14,000 tonnes,” the association said.
Ukrainian fruit and berries are of greatest demand in the EU countries (60% of revenue of Ukrainian exporters).
Ukrainian apples are mainly sold in the CIS and EU, in particular, Belarus, Moldova, Sweden (85% of the cost of their exports). Average export price of apples this year exceeded $320 per tonne.
“Major purchases of fruits and berries were carried out by France in the amount of $6.9 million, Turkey – $6.5 million, Poland – $4 million, Belarus – $3.7 million, Greece – $3.5 million, Germany – $2.8 million and the Netherlands – $2.7 million,” Ukrsadprom said.
At the same time, imports of fruit and berry products in Ukraine in January-March 2018 amounted to $143 million.
According to the report, it is mainly formed of exotic fruits (citrus fruits, bananas and other fruit). If one takes into account only traditional fruits and berries for Ukraine, the total foreign trade surplus was $40 million. At the same time, the association pointed out a surplus in the trade in pome fruits, which in recent years has been negative.
