Imports of fresh strawberry over the last six years decreased by 88%, from 1,286 tonnes in 2012 to 153 tonnes in 2017, according to a press release from the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club. “The experience of work of Ukrainians, mainly in Polish fields, made it possible to understand that Ukraine can fully meet the growing demand for strawberries in the domestic market, which was confirmed in practice. Over the past six years imports of fresh strawberry fell by 88% from 1,286 tonnes in 2012 to 153 tonnes in 2017. At the same time, exports rose by 90% from 184 tonnes to 1,799 tonnes respectively,” the report said.
In 2013 the maximum volumes of strawberry consumption were recorded, while in the following years the market was slowly declining. The recovery of the growing trend in the strawberry market took place in 2017, when the growth rate of consumer demand compared to the previous year was estimated at 11%. The main world producer of garden strawberries is Poland. According to the association, it grows about 200,000 tonnes of industrial strawberries, which is three times more than the volumes grown in Ukraine.
