Growing Ukrainian watermelons and melons returned to 2021 levels

In 2024, the volume of watermelon and melon imports to Ukraine returned to pre-war levels, which was made possible thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian farmers who were able to restore and even increase the production of these melon crops. After significant difficulties caused by the war, Ukrainian agriculture restored the sown areas and showed a better harvest than in the previous two years.

As noted by Yevhen Kuzin, an analyst of the fruit and vegetable market of the EastFruit project, in two years of investment in new geographical growing conditions, Ukraine was able to completely replace the import of melons, which was necessary at the beginning of the war. This indicates the stabilization and adaptation of Ukrainian farmers to changes in the agricultural sector, which made it possible to compensate for the shortage of imported products.

The resumption of watermelon and melon production was an important achievement for farmers, as they were able to return to the level of 2021, which was successful for this industry. In 2024, the sown areas were expanded, which allowed for high yields and to satisfy domestic demand for these products.

However, this process was not without difficulties. Melon producers suffered economic costs due to the rapid expansion of sown areas, which led to a decrease in prices for watermelons and melons compared to previous years, in particular, 2022-2023. At the same time, prices remained slightly higher than in 2021, which indicates the need to compensate for the costs of adaptation and expansion of production.

In addition, agricultural producers were forced to grow melon crops in new conditions, which affected the quality of the products. According to Yevgeny Kuzin, many watermelons and melons grown in these conditions had unsatisfactory taste and quality, which affected consumer demand.

However, despite these difficulties, Ukrainian farmers were able to resume production and return to 2021 levels, which is an important achievement for the country's agricultural sector. The resumption of watermelon and melon production not only helped meet domestic demand, but also reduced dependence on imported supplies, which is an important step for the stability of the agricultural sector in wartime.