Ukraine May Compensate for the Shortage of Sweet Cherries in Italy

Abnormal frosts in Italy have led to disappointing predictions for stone fruit products. EastFruit experts predict that the sweet cherry harvest will be record low, and now Italy is forced to look for suppliers of sweet cherries, and local traders are already showing interest in fruits from some countries. Ukraine can also become one of the suppliers.

Agricultural experts in Italy believe that the sweet cherry harvest will be low in 2021, resulting in a serious shortage. Yield losses are expected to reach 30%. Italy will need to purchase at least 50 thousand tons of the product on foreign markets with a standard import volume of 10-14 tons.

EastFruit said Italy can afford to import sweet cherries if there is sufficient supply in the market. Local traders are already exploring the possibility of supplies from Uzbekistan, but one country will not be able to carry out supplies in the required volumes.

Experts note that companies from Turkey will benefit the most from the situation. Italy will provide them with the opportunity to export surplus sweet cherries that are formed due to the loss of the Chinese market. However, according to experts, a shortage of sweet cherries may arise after the Turkish sweet cherries are over, as the number of tourists is expected to increase compared to 2020. Thanks to this, an increase in the supply of sweet cherries from Ukrainian companies is expected.