This year, the season for selling Ukrainian cherries started almost three weeks earlier than last year, thanks to favorable weather conditions that contributed to faster ripening of the crop. According to Tetyana Popovych, head of the marketing department of the Lviv wholesale market "Shuvar", this year's start of domestic cherry sales is different from last year, when the season began at the end of May. The warm temperature accelerated the ripening process of the berries.

"Since there are already significant volumes of cherries on the market, the price has significantly decreased compared to last year. Today, domestic cherries are 16% cheaper than at the beginning of sales last year," Popovych said.

Currently, cherry prices vary from 75 to 120 hryvnias per kilogram on the Lviv market, and in Uzhgorod it is sold for 150 hryvnias per kilogram. The Ukrainian market is just starting to receive the first batches of cherries, waiting for larger volumes of high-quality product from other regions.

"If the weather conditions continue to be favorable, we can expect a further decrease in prices. In general, the cherry season in Ukraine this year represents a combination of the advantages of an early start and challenges in logistics, which may affect the price dynamics and availability of products as the season develops," the expert emphasized.

Thus, the early start of the season and regional characteristics may determine the further dynamics of cherry prices on the Ukrainian market, but it also opens up new opportunities for consumers who will be able to enjoy fresh berries in earlier and more affordable periods.