Problems of Ukrainian farmers: lack of workers when picking raspberries

Ukrainian farmers this season face serious difficulties in collecting raspberries due to the instability of price fluctuations and an acute shortage of labor. These factors threaten to leave a significant part of the harvest on the bushes. According to SEEDS, the average yield of raspberries in Ukraine this year is from 8 to 12 tons per hectare.

Vitaly Ishmurat, the founder of the "Yagoda Volyn" company, emphasizes that raspberries are a key crop for farms in the Volyn region. Even in changing market conditions, they remain loyal to this crop because they understand its industrial potential over several cropping seasons.

"Those who systematically grow raspberries understand how important it is to respond to price fluctuations. Given that raspberries bear fruit for many years, various challenges arise on the market, and it is important to be ready for them," Vitaliy Ishmurat explains in an interview with the publication "Gardening in Ukrainian".

Even small growers, who respond to price fluctuations by uprooting old bushes when prices fall and planting new ones when prices rise, reportedly have a big impact on the market. However, the main task remains to ensure timely harvesting, which is complicated by the lack of a sufficient amount of labor.

The problem of a lack of workers becomes especially acute in conditions when large areas under raspberries require prompt collection. This requires an integrated approach and collaboration between farmers, government agencies and other stakeholders to find effective solutions.

In general, the instability of the market and problems with the labor force emphasize the importance of finding innovative methods of managing farms and developing mechanisms to support the agricultural sector of Ukraine.