Greenhouse cucumbers in Ukraine have become cheaper: reasons and future forecasts

In mid-December 2024, Ukraine has seen a decrease in prices for greenhouse cucumbers, which is atypical for this period of the year. According to EastFruit, on December 13, cucumbers on the market are sold at a price of 80 to 110 UAH/kg ($1.92–2.64/kg), which is 11% cheaper than a week earlier.

The decrease in the cost of the product is associated with a significant decrease in demand for cucumbers. Wholesale companies and retail chains are gradually reducing their purchases, explaining this by the low sales rate of greenhouse cucumbers in retail stores. Because of this, significant volumes of unsold products are accumulating in warehouses, which are beginning to lose their quality.

This decrease in the cost of greenhouse cucumbers is part of a trend that has been recorded over the past few weeks. The market is experiencing reduced demand for these vegetables in the context of less active consumption of products, which is often characteristic of the winter period, when seasonal vegetables become less popular among Ukrainians.

Despite the temporary decrease in price, it is worth noting that greenhouse cucumbers in Ukraine still remain more expensive than in the same period last year. At the moment, cucumber prices are 21% higher than in December 2023, which reflects the general trend of increasing food prices against the backdrop of inflationary processes and increasing costs for energy resources and logistics.

Market experts note that the decrease in demand is a temporary phenomenon associated with seasonal fluctuations. They do not exclude the possibility of an increase in prices for greenhouse cucumbers in the near future if demand for products begins to grow again or other factors arise that will contribute to an increase in cost.

Thus, the Ukrainian greenhouse cucumber market in December is experiencing an unstable price situation, where prices may fluctuate depending on supply and demand. At the same time, the issue of a possible price increase in the near future remains relevant, which is due to forecasts of demand recovery and the influence of other economic factors.