Ukraine in 2019, according to preliminary estimates of the Ukrainian Horticultural Association (UHA), imported 270,000-275,000 tonnes of bananas into the country, which is 8-9 percent more than the previous record set in 2018.
According to a report on the association’s website, in 2019 every resident of Ukraine consumed an average of more than 6 kg of bananas. Thus, the average indicator of their consumption per capita increased by 20-22 percent compared to 2013.
According to the association’s estimates, banana consumption continues to grow, despite the huge imbalance in banana and apple prices in the domestic market.
“Even in the second half of calendar 2019, when apple prices almost doubled, bananas, as before, were sold on average at 70-80 percent higher retail prices, and their imports continued to grow. In the first half of the season, when retail prices for banana were three times higher than for apples, banana imports also hit records,” the association said.
UHA analysts estimate the retail turnover of bananas in Ukraine at Hr 7.5 billion ($320 million), while the country’s retail turnover of apples does not exceed Hr 4.4 billion ($190 million).
In addition to bananas, Ukraine continues to increase imports of other tropical fruits: tangerines, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, persimmons, kiwi, avocados, pineapple, mangoes, and others.
