February was a great month for Ukraine’s exporters of fruits and nuts, who made a record $24.8 million in revenues – the highest figure ever recorded for the month.
Fruit and nut exports were up by 10 percent in February compared to January, outstripping last year’s February exports by one-third, the EastFruit analytical platform said in a report issued on March 9.
Walnuts made up the biggest chunk of this export category, accounting for 64 percent of revenues. Apples brought in 14 percent of revenues, whereas frozen berries accounted for 21 percent.
Exports of fruits, nuts and berries normally peak in November each year, after they have been harvested and prepared for shipment. But as the storage space for fruits and nuts in Ukraine is already full this year, exports could grow still further in the coming months, EastFruit predicts.
The major foreign consumers of Ukrainian fruits and nuts are the European Union, Belarus and Turkey. According to information from Ukrsadprom, the national association of fruit and berry entrepreneurs, Ukraine is also starting to tap into the Middle Eastern market with exports to Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
In 2018, Ukraine became one of the top three walnut producers, alongside the United States and China, according to the report of the Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation. Last year Ukraine increased its farmed walnut tree acreage by 3 percent, bringing it to a total of 19,000 hectares.
Overall, Ukrainian farmers exported 163,000 tons of fruits, walnuts and berries in 2018. Revenues were $229 million, or 17 percent more compared to the previous year.
