Onions are getting more expensive: Ukraine records sharp jump in prices due to shortage and increased demand

Onions have risen sharply in Ukraine - for the first time since the beginning of the year, farmers have significantly increased their selling prices for this vegetable. Such a price jump is caused by several factors at once: seasonal depletion of stocks in farmers' warehouses and increased activity of wholesale buyers. The situation is complicated by the fact that the shortage of quality products is becoming more noticeable, and the market reacts instantly.

Analysts of the EastFruit project report that according to the results of daily monitoring, the price of onions at the wholesale level is currently from 14 to 20 hryvnias per kilogram (equivalent to 0.34–0.49 US dollars). This means that in just a few days the cost has increased by approximately 55% compared to the end of last week.

Despite this increase, the demand for onions is not decreasing, on the contrary - it continues to grow. Wholesale companies are trying to replenish their stocks as quickly as possible amid fears of further price increases, which only encourages producers to hold onto the product or sell it at higher prices. Many farms have already completely sold their stocks, and those who still have leftovers have mostly suspended sales in anticipation of an even better price.

Thus, there is a shortage of quality onions on the market, which is increasing panic among buyers. Limited supply stimulates further price increases, creating a kind of “chain effect”. In fact, the more buyers seek to purchase products, the fewer those willing to sell them at current prices.

In the long term, the situation does not promise any changes in the near future. According to market participants, the positive price dynamics for onions will persist at least until the start of mass arrivals of the new harvest, which is expected no earlier than summer. This means that in May-June the cost of onions may remain at a record high.

For comparison: a year ago, during the same period, the price of onions was on average 59% lower than now. Such dynamics indicate the instability of the vegetable market, which still remains vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations and logistical factors.