Exports of Ukrainian fruit and vegetables to Asian and European countries faces problems because the spread of coronavirus caused transportation problems. According to the report of Ukrainian Horticultural Association (UHA), some exporters has already noticed problems with sales because Italy, Norway, Spain, Kuwait and some other important apples importers closed their ports and a lot of apples are “stuck” there.

In particular, apple suppliers had to stop this product sales to Hong Kong and Singapore in January-February because they were not sure whether apples would be in demand in the market when at the time of the arrival. It was also mentioned that exporters lost several weeks of trade due to the inability to unload fresh fruit and vegetables during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in China. According to the information provided by the companies, trade with Asia is gradually resuming.

The announcement also contains the information that there is the considerably high demand for Ukrainian fruit and vegetables in the EU and loaded trucks can enter Europe countries without facing any problems.

At the same time, companies are a little cautious about free truck in the future, as they enter foreign countries with drivers and different countries begin to introduce a 14-day quarantine or no entry at all for those who have recently visited Italy, Germany, Spain, France and other countries where the coronavirus spreads rapidly.

According to Dmytro Kroshka, Head of Ukrainian Association of Agricultural Exports, Ukrainian exporters of agricultural products, receive less income from Asian markets because of the growing prices for sea means of transport, which are caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

On March 11, the World Health Organization announced a worldwide coronavirus pandemic disease.

After this on March 12, the Government of Ukraine annouced closure of 70% of the border crossing points of Ukraine. The representatives of the National Bank of Ukraine believe that the spread of coronavirus has a limited or neutral impact on the Ukrainian economy. However, the risk of the spread of coronavirus in the world can lead to a recession of the world economy and a significant slowdown of economic activity in Ukraine.

Reference source: UNIAN