The volumes of berries that Ukrainian processing enterprises sent for freezing this year turned out to be significantly lower compared to vegetables. According to industry representatives, the difference reaches 35% - this is how much less berries were sent for processing than vegetable products. Despite the generally sufficient supply of berries on the market, the key factor was the decrease in blueberry yields, which led to its shortage.

Tevitta brand sales manager Igor Usaty spoke about the season's trends in a comment to AgroPortal.ua. He noted that this year the company, one of the leading Ukrainian manufacturers of frozen products, not only met the planned indicators for berry processing, but even exceeded them in some positions. However, the structure of the raw material base has changed - the emphasis has shifted towards vegetables.

According to Usaty, the company's plant operates almost continuously — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — and receives products according to seasonality. In the summer, these are mainly strawberries and raspberries, in the fall — pumpkin, onions and other vegetables. However, this year, the market has seen a significant increase in the price of berries, which is why the manufacturer decided to refrain from purchasing large volumes of this category.

The increase in the cost of blueberries and blackberries was especially noticeable: the prices for these berries doubled compared to last year. Experts also recorded a record price for cherries in ten years, which additionally affected the economy of freezing enterprises and forced businesses to revise production plans.

Such fluctuations in the raw material market create significant challenges for companies operating in the field of processing and freezing products. The situation is especially acute for those manufacturers who are export-oriented and face a discrepancy between the cost of Ukrainian products and the expectations of foreign buyers.

According to Usaty, importers are not ready to accept sharp price jumps for frozen berries. This complicates supply planning and contract formation in foreign markets, where price stability is often a decisive factor.