Vegetables and fruit dropped in price in August due to the new harvest
In August 2026, food prices in Ukraine decreased by 1.3%, driven mainly by a seasonal drop in vegetable and fruit costs, although the grocery basket rose by 7.8% overall from January to August. By the end of the year, the situation will remain mixed, with some crop products stabilizing thanks to the harvest, while meat, dairy goods, eggs, and import-dependent groceries continue to increase in price. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Василина Копитко) citing the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
In August, vegetable costs in Ukraine dropped by 18.3%, and fruit became 12% cheaper, which was a natural result of the new harvest arriving on the market. Meanwhile, as of September 8, farmers harvested 32.2 million tonnes of grains and legumes from 59% of the projected areas, with wheat threshing reaching 24.91 million tonnes from 5.04 million hectares.
Grain reserves on the domestic market are sufficient, meaning logistics, storage capabilities, and sales opportunities will play the key role. This was stated by Maksym Hopka, head of the analytical department at the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club.
Prices for borscht basket vegetables
In autumn, the seasonal factor will begin to weaken as open-ground produce leaves the market and long-term storage vegetables move into warehouses. The future cost of potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, and beets will depend on the volumes of successfully preserved crops. In August and September, some of these items showed varying dynamics, with potatoes dropping in price by 13.23% and onions by 31.64%.
As for tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, their supply will shrink after the end of the main season, and greenhouse farming along with imports will cover part of the demand. At the same time, there are no grounds to speak of a general vegetable shortage on the market, the analyst notes.
Dynamics of meat and poultry prices
The meat segment shows a gradual price increase, especially for pork and beef. Purchase prices for live pigs grew over recent weeks under the influence of processor demand and producer costs. For beef, a limited livestock supply and exporter demand remain additional factors.
Chicken will not experience sharp spikes, but its price is likely to gradually follow the general upward trend in the meat category. Meat products overall will remain among the factors supporting the growth of the grocery basket’s cost, adds Maksym Hopka.
Cost of eggs and dairy products
A dozen eggs in retail is already rising in price due to the approaching autumn period and seasonal declines in poultry productivity. In the dairy segment, an additional price pressure of 5-10% is expected due to the seasonal reduction in raw milk production. Price increases in these categories will occur gradually.
Sunflower oil will maintain relative price stability thanks to the new sunflower harvest, although global trends significantly affect this market. Simultaneously, goods with a high import component, such as coffee, cocoa, and tropical fruits, directly depend on the exchange rate. Russian attacks on logistics occasionally trigger local panic buying in stores, but this effect remains temporary.
Photo: RBC-Ukraine
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