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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Mass potato digging in Ukraine will begin in 2–3 weeks, and in the first weeks after the harvest starts, vegetable prices will go down, but from December they will start rising rapidly. Informator previously covered current potato prices in supermarkets, and now farmers have given a forecast for the coming months. The main reason for the future price increase is a shortage of storage facilities, which will push farmers to sell the harvest already in autumn. The best time to buy potatoes for winter is mid-October, when the tubers have rested. In western regions, heat may cut the harvest by a third, while there will still be no product shortage nationwide.
Such a development was described by ProAgro Group. Igor Shkuroko, director of PJSC NVO "Chernihivelitepotato" (Chernihivelihtartato), noted that the main limiting factor for farmers remains the lack of storage facilities, which will cause most producers to try to sell the harvest as early as autumn.
"There will be no shortage, because many consumers have traveled abroad. They are not consuming as much potato now as in previous years," said Igor Shkuroko, director of PJSC NVO "Chernihivelitepotato".
According to the plant's manager, it is worth purchasing potatoes for long-term storage before frosts, roughly in mid-October, when they have rested and gained the necessary properties. Due to heat in the western regions, the potato harvest may be reduced by a third, while the situation in Chernihiv region is somewhat better.
Prices for potatoes in supermarkets
The consumer price index for potatoes in August was 2026 and 78,50%. Compared to July, average prices decreased by -21,50%. In July 2026 this index relative to June stood at 84,94%. The average price of 1 kg of potatoes in supermarkets in August was 14,63 hryvnias (in July — 21,19 hryvnias). We will compare prices across networks:
Varus - 12,90 - 49,90 hryvnias
Metro - 14,46 hryvnias
Fora - 14,79 hryvnias
Ashan (Auchan) - 14,8 hryvnias
Sylpo - 23-50 hryvnias
Megamarket - 23,50 hryvnias
Epicentr - 27 hryvnias
Why prices will rise in winter
A shortage of storage means farmers physically cannot hold large volumes of harvest until winter — it is easier for them to sell potatoes right after digging, even at a lower price. This explains the autumn price dip: supply on the market is rising faster than demand.
But by December the majority of cheap potatoes will be gone, and the ones kept in storage will rise in price due to storage costs and natural losses. Additional pressure on prices is exerted by reduced harvest in western regions due to heat.
How to choose potatoes for different dishes
Earlier Informator wrote that understanding potato varieties is important even at the purchase stage, because not every variety is equally good for mashed potatoes or frying. In Ukraine about a dozen varieties are popular, and housewives often confuse which is starchy and which is fluffy.
We also wrote about a farmer-style breakfast with potatoes, sausage, eggs, and milk — a simple and hearty dish that is easy to make even with little kitchen experience. Potatoes remain one of the most popular foods on the Ukrainian table regardless of season and price.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Картопля - прогноз і огляд цін в супермаркетах". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Informator.
