Ukraine restores orange imports amid fierce competition between Egypt and Turkey

In the 2023/24 season, Ukraine has successfully restored its orange imports, marking the third consecutive season amidst Russia’s full-scale aggression, according to EastFruit. From November 2023 to June 2024, Ukrainian importers have brought in 65,000 tons of oranges, surpassing the entire previous season’s total. The cumulative volume could reach the levels of the 2021/22 season within the next four months.

Although Ukraine’s consumption is still far from pre-war levels – for instance, in January 2022, orange imports were twice as high compared to the same month in 2023/24 – the country seems to have overcome the initial crisis of the full-scale war, with the import market showing signs of growth. This rise in orange consumption has been fueled by the recovery of global production and relatively high apple prices in the past season.

Notably, the primary beneficiary of the increased demand for oranges in Ukraine has been Turkey, which has already doubled its exports to the country compared to the entire previous season. Egypt, which has led orange supplies to Ukraine since at least the 2018/19 season, is likely to remain in second place as the Ukrainian market leans more on South African imports from July to October.

Despite the fierce competition from Turkey and more convenient logistics for Turkish suppliers, Egypt’s potential in the Ukrainian orange market remains substantial. Previous Egyptian exports to Ukraine were nearly twice as high. For Egypt, Ukraine remains the second-largest orange market in Eastern Europe, after Poland.

The Egyptian government and the FAO/EBRD project “Food Security Package SEMED – Diversifying and adding value to export markets” invite importers and supermarket chains from Ukraine and other regional countries to participate in a trade mission to Cairo from December 3 to 5. Further details about the trip can be found on the EastFruit website.