In January-March, Ukraine saw record-high imports of cucumbers and tomatoes, reaching 11,300 tons and 25,200 tons, respectively.

Only three Ukrainian farms began supplying tomatoes in early April, while Turkish imports continued to flow. Local farms reduced production due to challenges, such as limited electricity access.

For example, only two farms in Kharkiv Oblast received power for only three to four hours daily, and using generators was costly. Additionally, this spring, farms lacked sufficient sunlight for ripening crops, requiring increased heating. As a result, Turkish cucumbers were imported at 60 UAH/kg, while Ukrainian farms sold theirs at 170-180 UAH/kg.

Currently, only the Uman farm operates year-round, others function seasonally. In January and February, most Ukrainian farms are idle, and Turkey supplies the largest import volumes.

Reference source: http://surl.li/udbfvubffb7