Potatoes lose the status of “second bread” on the tables of Ukrainians. These data were shared by the Director of the Ukrainian Association of Potato Producers Oksana Ruzhenkova.

Oksana Ruzhenkova commented on the situation in the potato market. High prices for potatoes (17-20 UAH / kg.), Low crop yields and the curtailment of professional potato growing are the main trends of the 2019 season.

“The constant temperature changes observed in all regions of Ukraine contributed to the spread of potato diseases. In combination with drought in some regions and with floods in others this year, low crop yields are predicted. Because of this, the price of potatoes is two times higher than in 2018. The wholesale price is at the level of 10-12 UAH / kg., And the retail price reaches 20 UAH / kg.

Potato crop failures in Europe also affect the price increase. Due to the abnormal heat and low productivity, Western neighbors are forced to buy potatoes in Moldova and Ukraine, ”the expert comments.

As for the forecasts, it is too early to talk about the shortage of potatoes in Ukrainian markets. Therefore, about 90% of the second bread is grown in household plots by the population. But there are negative trends in industrial potato growing.

So, over the past 3 years, the area under industrial plantations of potatoes has decreased from 70-80 to 20-26 thousand ha. Oksana Ruzhenkova also noted that farmers refuse to grow table potatoes, switching to growing varieties for processing.