Improved weather conditions accelerated the harvesting of gourds, leading to a decrease in watermelon prices to UAH 5–15/kg, especially for large fruits. At the same time, current watermelon prices are 78% higher than in August last year, according to East Fruit analysts, as reported by UNN.
Improved weather conditions across almost the entire country have allowed Ukrainian watermelon producers to resume active harvesting, which is leading to an increase in the supply of this product on the market.
Farmers note that the price drop is exacerbated by the prevalence of large watermelons on the market, for which demand is quite low. Because of this, wholesale companies and retail chains are significantly reducing purchases, explaining it by slow sales in stores.
Currently, prices "have already dropped to UAH 5-15/kg ($0.12-0.36/kg), which is on average 31% cheaper than at the end of the last working week."
It should be noted that watermelons in Ukraine are currently sold on average 78% more expensive than in mid-August 2024. At the same time, industry experts do not predict a noticeable improvement in the market situation.
Farmers note that currently "only owners of high-quality watermelons will be able to raise prices, and the supply of such products on the market is very limited." Instead, according to them, large fruits weighing more than 5 kg will continue to become cheaper, as producers seek to quickly sell available volumes.