Apple prices in Ukraine during the 2025/26 season have reached unusually high levels, causing apples to lose their status as the cheapest fruit and directly compete in price with imported bananas and citrus fruits, ProAgro Group reports.

According to Volodymyr Hurzhii, head of exporting company USPA Fruit, the sharp price increase was driven by crop losses due to frosts, high storage costs caused by the use of diesel generators, and an acute labor shortage in orchards. He shared these insights in a comment to Fresh Plaza.

The situation is further aggravated by producers deliberately holding apples in storage in anticipation of even higher prices closer to spring. This practice creates artificial shortages on the domestic market, despite the fact that current cold storage stocks remain sufficient to meet demand.

“Today, apples are directly competing in price with other fruits such as citrus, bananas and other imported products. This situation is partly driven by an element of artificial scarcity in the market,” Hurzhii said.

Another factor putting pressure on domestic prices is strong foreign demand for Ukrainian apples. Large producers with established export channels are prioritizing shipments abroad, reducing supply for local retail chains. At the same time, ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure force storage operators to rely on generators around the clock to maintain proper temperature conditions.

“For many in Europe, such conditions would be incompatible with normal business operations. In Ukraine, however, companies have adapted, even though these circumstances go far beyond what could be considered reasonable and essentially amount to survival—both physically and economically,” Hurzhii emphasized.

Despite war-related risks and frosts of up to –20°C, the sector continues to develop. Producers are investing in energy independence and renewing orchard varieties. A recent deal in which a company from the United Arab Emirates acquired a Ukrainian apple producer has become a positive signal for the market, confirming continued foreign investor interest in Ukrainian horticulture even under challenging conditions.

Earlier reports indicated that consumers may face a further 15–20% increase in apple prices in the coming months due to rising storage costs.

Source: AgroTimes