Ukraine is once again increasing watermelon exports to the EU, planning to harvest 240,000 tons of crop

Ukraine is gradually restoring pre-war production volumes of watermelons and berry exports to the EU. The traditional watermelon-growing niche of the south has been taken over by Poltava Region, Kyiv Region, and Transcarpathia. Volodymyr Voyevodin, Campaign Management Manager at BASF T.O.V., shared this in his author's blog. "Poltava Region, Kyiv Region, and Transcarpathia have successfully filled part of the market and simultaneously established exports of first-class berries to Europe," Volodymyr Voyevodin noted. According to data for January-August 2024, Ukraine exported 1.58 thousand tons of watermelons worth $314,000. Compared to the same period in 2023, when only 39.99 tons were exported, this is 39.5 times higher. The main markets for Ukrainian watermelons were Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, which together provided 92% of total exports. For reference, in 2020, exports reached almost 36 thousand tons of watermelons and melons, setting a record for melon crop exports. ...