OREANDA-NEWS The main reason for the rise in price of berries in Russia is weather conditions. This was stated by Yaroslav Abramov, Key Account Manager at Grodan. 

Now, on average, prices have increased to 783 rubles per kilogram of raspberries and 486 rubles per kilogram of cherries. Strawberries cost about 551 rubles per kilogram. Thus, the price increase amounted to 15-16 percent year-on-year. Abramov explains this by adverse weather conditions, which led to a reduction in the harvest. There are farms that have suffered 90 percent losses due to spring frosts.

At the same time, the southern regions suffered from drought. Over the past month, the precipitation level there was only 60-80 percent of the norm. The minimum temperature exceeded the average by 2-4 degrees. This lack of precipitation had a negative impact on the strawberry harvest.

In early June, a forecast appeared that there would be no shortage of strawberries, raspberries, cherries and other berries in Russia, whose harvests suffered due to spring frosts. There is also an opinion that the prices of berries in the Russian Federation are more related not to frosts, but to a sharp increase in the cost of cultivation. Foreign trade restrictions also affect the import of materials, equipment, plant protection products, seedlings and seedlings.

Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev believes that there will be no sharp price hikes for berries and fruits in the near future. Prices will be adjusted based on imports.