Berry Crops with Development Potential in Ukraine Identified

This conclusion was reached by participants of a conference held in Rivne, according to the Berry Growers of Ukraine Association.

It is noted that the question of which crops could become new growth areas generated the most discussion. As a result, berry producers and processors identified the following crops as the most promising for further development:

• Redcurrants. Due to limited supply, their price can at certain times exceed that of blackcurrants, creating potential for profitability.
• Blackcurrants. Declining domestic consumption and changing demand geography are already encouraging the search for export opportunities. At the same time, the crop is well suited to mechanised harvesting.
• Sour cherries. Participants highlighted significant global demand for this crop and Ukraine’s relatively small share of its exports. This may indicate potential for expansion.
• Elderberries. The European market actively uses elderberries for the production of concentrates and other products. One particularly promising area is the development of cultivated elderberries rather than relying solely on the harvesting of wild-growing berries.

Experts also noted that a common feature of many promising crops is the possibility of mechanised harvesting. For crops where manual labour accounts for a significant share of costs, opportunities for scaling up are limited. Therefore, crops that allow harvesting to be mechanised and the production process to be largely standardised may have strong potential. This applies, in particular, to currants and sour cherries.