In Ukraine, up to 50% of crops have been lost: a shortage of popular berries is looming in the summer

In Ukraine, up to 50% of crops have been lost: a shortage of popular berries is looming in the summer

Ukrainians are advised to prepare for higher than usual prices for cherries and sweet cherries. The main, but not the only reason, is the weather conditions that resulted in farmers losing up to 50% of the crop of these berries.

This was reported by analysts at EastFruit. They noted that in 2025, all countries in Eastern Europe were affected by frost, as well as Turkey, the largest exporter of sweet cherries in the region.

This fate did not spare Ukraine, although cherries and sweet cherries were less affected than other stone fruits, such as peaches and apricots. According to preliminary estimates, farmers, especially in the southern regions, lost about 45-55% of the sweet cherry crop. In the central regions, losses were even greater, but the sweet cherry areas in these regions are smaller.

The cherry crop was also lost by 35-50%, although the most significant damage occurred in the northern regions. However, Ukrainian producers mainly send cherries for freezing for export and processing, and this berry is expected to be quite expensive, especially against the backdrop of anticipated high raspberry prices in the summer.

It should be noted that due to the temporary occupation of traditional cherry and sweet cherry growing regions and the actual destruction of a major part of the plantations, Ukraine has become dependent on the import of these berries. Therefore, sweet cherry prices in Ukraine will be even higher this year than usual.

Analysts indicate that due to bad weather, 30% to 80% of yields were lost in other Eastern European countries as well. In particular, in:

• Poland;
• Moldova;
• Hungary;
• Romania.

And in Turkey, which is the most influential country for cherry pricing in Eastern Europe, temperatures fell to -15 degrees in mid-April. As a result, 50-70% of the yields perished, and producers forecast that cherry prices will be 75% higher.

"Another factor to consider when assessing cherry and cherry price prospects in 2025 is the ongoing reduction of areas under these crops in European Union countries. As the risks of growing sweet cherries are constantly increasing due to frequent crop losses from frost, old plantations are gradually being uprooted and not replaced with new ones," commented Andriy Yarmak, an economist at the investment department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO).