Buckwheat prices in Ukraine are rising as the popular grain becomes more expensive due to a sharp decline in planted areas, ProAgro Group reports.

Retail prices for buckwheat groats in Kyiv supermarkets continue to increase, with the cost of one kilogram approaching 70 hryvnias, while 1-kg packages are becoming increasingly scarce.

According to Svitlana Cheremisina, a researcher at the National Scientific Centre “Institute of Agrarian Economics”, Ukraine is facing a shortage of buckwheat in 2026 due to a significant reduction in planted areas. While 147.9 thousand hectares were planted with buckwheat in 2023, the area declined to only 58.5 thousand hectares in 2025.

As a result, production also dropped sharply — from 210.7 thousand tonnes to 70.8 thousand tonnes. Given the country’s annual consumption of 100–110 thousand tonnes, the real production deficit from the 2025 harvest is estimated at 30–35 thousand tonnes.

For now, the market is supported by remaining stocks from previous years, but prices continue to climb.

Economists predict that until the arrival of the new harvest in late summer or autumn 2026, the average retail price of buckwheat may reach 55–60 hryvnias per kilogram, while premium varieties could become even more expensive. Although empty store shelves are not expected, analysts say the two-year period of relatively cheap buckwheat has officially ended.

Earlier reports indicated that the average retail price of buckwheat in December 2025 was 44.88 hryvnias per kilogram, up 27.5% compared with December 2024, when the price stood at 35.19 hryvnias per kilogram. According to official statistics, buckwheat prices have been increasing every month since April 2024, when the average price was 26.36 hryvnias per kilogram.

Source: Glavkom