Growing raspberries in Ukraine has doubled in price: what is happening with prices and exports?

In Ukraine, the cost of maintaining one hectare of raspberries has doubled over the past six years. Despite rising export prices and a successful start to the new season, the profitability of the berry business has come under pressure due to rising fuel prices, rising wages, and inflation.

Why growing raspberries has become more expensive

Analysts examined changes in export and domestic prices, exchange rates, and the cost of key production resources during 2020–2026.

According to the study, the nominal export price of frozen raspberries in 2026 was 11% higher than in 2021. However, taking into account inflation, its real cost decreased by 9%.

At the same time, producers’ costs grew much faster.

The cost was most affected by:

The increase in average wages in Ukraine by 109% during 2021–2026.
The increase in the price of diesel fuel almost threefold.
Exchange rate change: the euro has appreciated by 67% against the hryvnia since 2020.
General increase in the cost of production resources.

The largest contribution to the increase in cost was provided by the increase in labor costs.

At the same time, the real cost of growing raspberries, taking into account inflation, increased by 12%.

Thus, even with higher export prices, the ratio of income and expenses for Ukrainian producers worsened compared to 2021.

Raspberry exports in 2026: how much did Ukraine earn

Despite the increase in production costs, the new export season started more successfully than last year.

According to EastFruit, during June-July 2026, Ukraine exported 7.4 thousand tons of frozen raspberries for a total of 29.9 million euros.

The average export price was 4.06 euros per kilogram.

These results correspond to the indicators of 2024 and exceed the starting results of the last season.

At the same time, in 2025, the export of Ukrainian raspberries decreased due to a decrease in the harvest.

Which countries buy Ukrainian raspberries the most

The main buyers of Ukrainian frozen raspberries remain:

Poland;
Germany;
Czech Republic.

In general, Ukraine exports about 65 thousand tons of frozen raspberries every year.

Additional opportunities for Ukrainian producers in 2026 are created by the reduction in the raspberry harvest in Poland. This could potentially increase demand for Ukrainian products on the European market.

However, to maintain export positions, producers must comply with the requirements of the European Union regarding the quality and safety of products, in particular the maximum permissible levels of pesticide residues.

Will raspberry growing remain profitable?

According to industry analysts, the main problem for Ukrainian berry growers is the outstripping growth in production costs compared to sales revenues.

Although nominal export prices have increased, inflation and rising resource prices have actually reduced the economic benefits for producers.

At the same time, more favorable conditions in foreign markets, in particular a decrease in the harvest in Poland, may support Ukrainian exports.

The further profitability of the berry business will depend on the level of production costs, yield, export prices and the ability of Ukrainian companies to compete in the European market.