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At the beginning of December 2024, the price of garlic in Ukrainian supermarkets crossed the UAH 200 per kilogram mark, setting a new historical high. This is reported by the analytical portal EastFruit.
Experts explain that the Ukrainian market grows garlic mainly on small farms. As a result, the products are of varying quality and do not meet the requirements of retail chains or the processing industry. There are virtually no mass-produced batches of garlic in Ukraine, and imports are too expensive due to high logistics costs and quota restrictions.
Reasons for the rapid price increase
- Growing demand in Europe: In German and Austrian supermarkets, garlic prices have reached €6-20 per kilo. Demand for the product far exceeds supply.
- Shortages in producing countries: In 2024, the main garlic producer in the European Union – Spain – completely exhausted its reserves for the first time in three years. Even the alternative from South America was unable to meet market demand.
- Restrictions on imports from China: The EU introduced quotas on imports of Chinese garlic, which have already been exhausted. Further imports are only possible with a fine of €1,200 per tonne.
The situation in Ukraine
According to the State Statistics Service, since 2020, the area under garlic cultivation in Ukraine has decreased by 15%, reaching 21,000 hectares. Small and family farmers remain the main producers. Experts do not rule out that real production volumes are lower than official figures.
In a situation where domestic production remains unstable and imports are rising in price, garlic continues to rise in price. Ukrainian farmers currently do not have sufficient resources to meet demand.
Should we expect changes?
Market analysis shows that garlic prices will remain high unless Ukraine increases production or finds new suppliers. At the same time, experts advise the government to pay attention to stimulating the agricultural sector to avoid similar crises in the future.
